Seeking Foreign Buyers For USA Agricultural Products

The Utah Commissioner of Agriculture and Food, Cary G. Peterson, promoted American agricultural products to Asia's top grocery store food buyers during an 11-day mission to four Pacific Rim countries. Peterson is the newly elected President of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA).

Peterson, along with a contingent from NASDA and the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) met with major retailing and wholesaling associations in the Republic of China (Taiwan), Hong Kong, China and the Philippines.

Company food buyers were invited to attend the FMI/U.S. Food Export Showcase in Chicago, May 2 - 4, 1999. The showcase puts states' agricultural products on sale before some 6,000 international and national food buyers. Last year the showcase generated potential sales contracts valued at $45 million. Utah estimates its contacts at the showcase generated $6 million in overseas sales.

"In most of the countries we visited there was optimism for economic improvement and the hope for more trading with American exporters," said Commissioner Peterson.

The NASDA/FMI contingent met with the US ambassador to the Philippians who said the Philippine economy is beginning to strengthen and there are opportunities for US food exports.

"Throughout that region, people craved US beef, vegetables and fruit," said UDAF Marketing Director, Randy Parker. "There is a tremendous market for our products there," he added.

One of the barriers facing US exporters is the strong American dollar. Its value overseas has caused the price of US goods to increase by 40 percent. Foreign countries also place tariffs on imported goods. One of Commissioner Peterson's goals as NASDA president is to level the import/export playing field for US farmers and ranchers by removing foreign tariffs on certain US goods.

Posted 30 November, 1998