Ethanol Blog

Colombia Meeting Reveals Opportunities for Grains, Co-Product Exports

Cheryl Anderson
By  Cheryl Anderson , DTN Staff Reporter

Recent meetings between a team from the U.S. Grains Council and Colombian agricultural groups revealed a potential for growing export demand for U.S. coarse grains and co-products, according to an article by the Council (http://bit.ly/…).

As a result of the meetings, the Council team estimates a potential of an additional 2 million tons (79 million bushels) of U.S. corn by Colombian buyers, as well as ethanol co-products such as distillers grains.

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The demand comes from the shift in Colombian diets towards more meat, eggs and dairy; however, the country is very mountainous and Colombian farmers cannot produce enough grain to meet demands.

Expectations for future market growth are also optimistic because of Colombia's proximity to the U.S., as well as the U.S.-Colombia free trade agreement which allows 2.3 million metric tons (91 mb) of U.S. corn to enter the country duty-free.

Colombia has already imported more than 2.5 mt (98 mb) of U.S. corn in the current marketing year, which began Sept. 30, 2014.

The Council has worked for more than 25 years in Colombia on building demand from its poultry and swine sector, and will continue to partner with the country's livestock sectors to promote products such as sorghum and distillers grains.

Cheryl Anderson can be reached at Cheryl.anderson@dtn.com

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