Indo-Pacific mission connects Canadian value chain with customers
February 14, 2024, Ottawa, Ontario – In the competitive Indo-Pacific market, demand for quality Canadian soybeans is strong. That was the message shared by current and potential customers when the value chain delegation led by Soy Canada visited the region in early February as part of an outgoing mission.
“We heard loud and clear that the quality of Canadian soybeans is appreciated by our customers,” says Nicole Mackellar, market development manager at Soy Canada. “Our mission succeeded in helping our customers understand Canadian soybeans and helping us hear clearly what’s important to them.”
With record participation from the Canadian soybean industry, including 20 representatives from Canadian soybean export companies along with farmer representatives from four Canadian provinces, the delegation connected with more than 150 current and potential customers in Japan and Thailand. This year marked the first mission to Thailand, a country that is quickly emerging as a large market for Canadian soybeans. The mission provided the group with opportunities to meet with representatives through seminars, industry association meetings and facility visits.
“Sustainability and the importance of a reliable, consistent supply of soybeans were two things raised consistently by our customers, and the good news is these are both areas our Canadian industry is investing in,” says Mackellar, explaining that customers were enthusiastic to learn about the Sustainable Canadian Soy verification program and the commitment Canadian soybean growers have to sustainable practices. Mackellar also notes that sustainability is a focus for end users in Japan, especially with the younger generation that seeks information on the sustainability of products they purchase.
Soy Canada hosted seminars in each country, featuring information about the Sustainable Canadian Soy program, a review of the 2023 growing season and a global soybean market overview. The Canadian delegation featured speakers from across the Canadian soybean value chain, as well as representatives from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Canadian Grain Commission. The new executive director of the recently formed Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food office was a keynote speaker at the seminar in Thailand, sharing Canada’s commitment to being a partner to promote stable and predictable trade in the region.
Soy Canada is a national value-chain organization for the soybean sector, including seed companies, Canada’s 30,000 growers, exporters and processors. Created in 2014, Soy Canada leads the sector’s efforts on market access and market development, provides industry leadership on issues affecting the growth and profitability of the soybean sector and coordinates research efforts across the value chain and across the country.
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For more information:
Nicole Mackellar
Soy Canada
343-550-8149
nmackellar@soycanada.ca
www.soycanada.ca