May 18, 2011

US DDGS sales to Southeast Asia increase

Sales of US distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS) are up globally this year, with the largest regional gain on a percentage basis in Southeast Asia, where exports were up 27% on-year for the January-March period.

That puts sales at 296,047 tonnes for the quarter, said the US Grains Council, citing USDA figures.

The largest percentage growth within the region is Malaysia, which grew from 4,329 tonnes of imports in January-February 2010 to 16,347 tonnes in the same period this year, a fourfold increase.

"We are very active in promoting DDGS in Southeast Asia," said Adel Yusupov, the Council's regional director for Southeast Asia who is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

"We hold road shows and one-on-one meetings so feed millers and livestock and poultry producers can learn more about US DDGS and other feed products," he said. "We've also brought trade teams to the US to see how DDGS is produced and fed domestically."

A key to the Council's efforts in the region is a consulting nutritionist who visits customers and holds one-no-one meetings.

"He shows potential and existing customers how US DDGS prices into their rations and helps them better understand the value of feeding the ethanol co-product," Yusupov said.

"This targeted approach has been very successful, and the increase in export sales demonstrates that."