Taiwan is a significant market for wheat, and other commodities, and in September the Taiwan Flour Millers Association will travel to the United States to sign a letter of intent to purchase U.S. wheat in marketing years 2015/16 and 2016/17.

The association imports wheat on behalf of all 20 Taiwanese flour mills and has been a customer for U.S. wheat for several years. U.S. Wheat Associates President Alan Tracy and current TFMA Executive Director Shin-Yao Lin, chief executive officer of Top Food Flour Mill in Taipei, Taiwan will co-sign the letter.

The Taiwan Flour Millers Association is a significant customer for U.S. wheat. (Photo: David McNew, Getty Images)

TFMA delegates will start their U.S. visit as guests of the Idaho Wheat Commission at the Lewiston Roundup Rodeo Sept. 12. The entire mission will visit Washington, D.C., which includes a welcome reception at USDA and a signing ceremony on Sept. 16 at the U.S. Capitol. Taiwan industry representatives will also sign letters of intent with U.S. Grains Council and the American Soybean Association.

After those formal activities in Washington, D.C., the flour millers will move on to visit Kansas, Montana and Washington to meet with state wheat commission and government representatives before returning home to Taiwan. Tracy says the U.S. wheat industry always looks forward to the event and approaches a long history of mutually beneficial trade relations with the Taiwan milling and wheat foods industry.

"U.S. wheat farmers have maintained a trade office in Taipei since 1966," Tracy says. "We are proud of that and also quite proud that USW Country Director Ron Lu has been a faithful part of that service for more than 33 years." Tracy adds that TFMA imported more U.S. wheat than the volume of 1.7 million metric tons to which they committed in 2013.

More about TFMA and US. Wheat Associates work in Taiwan- >>>

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Founded in 1958, TFMA imports wheat on behalf of all 20 currently operating Taiwanese flour mills and includes members from academia, industry, government and research institutes. USW, TFMA and CGPRDI, the China Grain Products Research & Development, have long collaborated to develop new wheat foods and help train bakers to introduce these products to local markets.

For example, in 2012, USW began cooperating with TFMA, CGPRDI, food manufacturers and local school officials to introduce healthy noodles and steamed breads made with whole wheat flour into primary school lunch programs around Taiwan. As a result, in 2013, an additional 15 primary schools were added to the program and a nutritionist for one of the school lunch preparation centers has written a formulation booklet to distribute to other center nutritionists.

In May 2015, USW held a joint press conference with Chia Nan University in Tainan as part of a strategy to introduce healthy wheat foods to consumers. The university made several healthy wheat foods, including whole wheat and barley breads (supported in part by the U.S. Grains Council), whole wheat steamed bread, healthy pastries and healthy cookies for the media to taste. Professors at the university explained the advantages and benefits of these low GI (glycemic index) products to human health.

U.S. Wheat Sales to Taiwan
1,000 Metric Tons

Source: U.S. Wheat Associates