A team of six quality control and purchasing personnel from mills in Indonesia and the Philippines attended the South Asia Contracting for Wheat Value Workshop at Northern Crops Institute in Fargo Sept. 10-12. The workshop concluded Sept. 14 with sessions at the U.S. Wheat Associates office, Portland, Ore.
The workshop was designed to teach the team how to better manage supply chain challenges and how to write contracts that accurately specify the wheat they want to purchase.
“In South Asia, our most important markets are the Philippines and Indonesia,” said Steve Wirsching, director of the U.S. Wheat Associates West Coast office. “The Philippines long has been a very important market for U.S. hard red spring wheat and U.S. wheat in general, buying about 2 million metric tons each year, as compared to Indonesia, which is an up-and-coming market that purchased 830,000 metric tons last year. Indonesia is not a new market for us, but we are seeing increased spring wheat sales driven by economic growth and wheat consumption.”
Participants learned about wheat quality testing and procurement through lectures and end product evaluation. The group also toured the Jay Nord farm near Wolverton, Minn. They were hosted by manager Curt Bjertness as they toured the Wolverton C-W Valley Co-op Elevator.
John Crabtree, Northern Crops Institute assistant director, coordinated the workshop.