Nigerian trade team visits Kansas

Nigeria, one of the top importers of U.S. wheat, has become a success story for U.S. trade relations. The country has gone from purchasing 12.9 million bushels (350,000 metric tons) of U.S. wheat in 1992 to importing around 98.8 million bushels (2.69 million metric tons) in the 2013/2014 marketing year. Part of the tremendous growth in the Nigerian market is due to trade team visits to learn about the U.S. grain industry. To encourage this trade partnership, the Kansas Wheat Commission hosted eight senior managers from Nigerian milling and pasta manufacturing companies June 26-27. 

“The growth of U.S. wheat exports to Nigeria has been exceptional,” said USW Regional Assistant Director Gerald Theus, based in Cape Town, South Africa, who accompanied the team. “Thanks to the relationships built in Nigeria and between the farmers, USW and Nigerian millers on teams like these, U.S. wheat has found a home in Nigeria. And it is there to stay.”

While in Kansas, the executives toured the AgMark grain handling terminal in Concordia in order to see first-hand the technology and innovation present in the wheat industry. Participants also met with Kansas State University instructors at the International Grains Program, visited the USDA Center for Grain and Animal Health Research, toured the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center and explored the Little Apple in their down time. 

Participants also were able to visit farms and cooperatives in Colorado and Nebraska during their week-long stay in the United States. Although seeing harvest take place was an agenda item for the trade team, Mother Nature had other plans as the showers found across the Great Plains region put wheat harvest at a standstill. 

Nigeria imports five of the six classes of U.S. wheat and is the second largest buyer of hard red winter (HRW) wheat, of which Kansas is the largest producer. The executives wanted to see how Kansas grain facilities sampled the wheat coming in, learn more about the quality tests that the wheat will go through upon arrival at the facility from the field and see the efficiency that fuels the wheat industry. Participants were also able to learn about the advances made in wheat breeding and how that will affect farmers, and ultimately their grain supply. 

Aaron Harries, director of marketing for Kansas Wheat, traveled with the team during its time in Kansas.

“Nigerian flour millers continue to be extremely good customers for Kansas wheat farmers.  Fifty percent of the Kansas wheat crop is exported every year, and Nigeria has been the top buyer in most recent years. They love the consistent quality they get in wheat from the U.S.”

United States wheat continues to dominate Nigeria’s import market, even with increased competition from suppliers like Canada and Australia. A large factor in this trading success story are the relationships that are developed between the supplier and the buyer because of these trade team experiences. After the conclusion of their U.S. wheat industry tour, these eight executives went back to their facilities with a broader understanding of the quality and reliability of the U.S. wheat industry.