Casey Chumrau, executive director of the Washington Grain Commission, and Tyler Hansell, chairman of the Oregon Wheat Commission, participate in a panel discussion during the U.S. Wheat Associates conferences. (Courtesy U.S. Wheat Associates)

Pacific Northwest wheat industry representatives met with a majority of their overseas customers during back-to-back U.S. Wheat Associates conferences in Vietnam in May.

More than 100 millers and buyers participated in the North Asian Marketing Conference May 21-23 and more than 200 millers and buyers in the South and Southeast Asia Marketing Conference May 26-28.

The customers represent about 80% of the overall soft white wheat market for Northwest wheat farmers, including three markets from North Asia and seven markets from South Asia, said Casey Chumrau, executive director of the Washington Grain Commission.

“An opportunity to see that many customers in one place is unique and highly valuable,” she said.

It was a chance to emphasize the importance of the trade relationships between farmers and buyers, said Amanda Hoey, Oregon Wheat CEO and Britany Hurst Marchant, executive director of the Idaho Wheat Commission.

“Reassuring that we will have the wheat that meets our customers’ requirements is central to the message back to our customers,” Hoey said.

“Every sale and purchase of Idaho wheat hinges on the relationships and mutual trust we have with customers,” Hurst Marchant said.

Questions

“The sessions were really engaging, with a range of questions that demonstrated the technical interests of buyers and the importance of the timely information we provide through crop updates and quality reports,” Hoey said.

The conferences allow customers to ask questions anonymously, as their competitors are often in the same room. This year, topics of interest included tariffs and economic policy fluctuations.

There were comments and questions about new technologies, including GMO wheat, based on the new HB4 wheat trait commercialized in Argentina and approved in the U.S. for planting and research. It is not yet in the commercial pipeline.

“We are very aware of the hesitations and concerns of the North Asian markets,” Chumrau said. “It’s important to have those conversations as the industry is changing and we are going to see these different topics come to light … and make sure we are partnering together to find a way forward that benefits both the U.S. wheat producer and the customers who buy that wheat.”

Demand

Southeast Asia demographics are in PNW wheat farmers’ favor, Chumrau said. They have young, growing populations and a growing middle class with more disposable income, which generally means they diversify their diets away from a traditional rice-based diet.

They are influenced by Western and particularly North Asian countries, where farmers have seen a consistent demand for high quality wheat products.

In North Asia, Japan and South Korea have older, declining populations.

“However, wheat consumption is still increasing,” Chumrau said. “Particularly in Korea, their cultural influence across Asia and across the world, is very significant right now. That means they are exporting a lot of products. So that is counter-acting some of the population decline and keeping demand for wheat strong.”

Golf tournament

It was the first time U.S. Wheat offered both conferences so close together.

Each has historically had a golf tournament, in which attendees pay to participate.

Because of the significance of the market share, the Northwest commissions, “who work really closely together all year on many different projects,” sponsored both tournaments.

“It was incredibly successful,” Chumrau said. “It was an extra five or six hours to be able to network and get to know these customers on a more personal level.”

The effort paid off during the rest of the conferences, when tournament players were more comfortable talking to Northwest wheat representatives.

The three commissions divided the cost of sponsorship equally, covering the cost for about 40 participants to play, about $125 per person.

“It was really a pretty small investment in terms of dollars for a much broader impact and that relationship development,” Chumrau said.

Players also received golf “swag” bearing the commissions’ logos.

“These customers, many of them are very serious, frequent golfers,” Chumrau said. “Now they’re going to be going back to their countries (with) our towels, hats and tees, and potentially using them with other customers and business partners. It’s just a little detail we think really will go a long way.”