Two customers representing major Tunisian soybeans importing companies visited the U.S. August 14 -19. Maher Affes, general manager of Carthage Grain crushing plant and Mourad Hassen, general manager of NUTRIMIX/Green Label Oil (branch of Poulina Group Holding, Tunisia’s largest poultry integrated group) were escorted by Dr. Riadh Karma, USSEC consultant – Tunisia, during their U.S. visit.
Carthage Grain is Tunisia’s largest crusher, importing around 550,000 tons of soybeans every year, with 50 percent of its soybeans coming from the U.S. The Poulina Group is Tunisia’s largest poultry producer, producing around 800,000 tons of compound feed and is a very good consumer of U.S. soybean meal. Poulina recently invested in a large full fat soybean production plant in Tunisia.
Along with the Turkish team, the Tunisian delegation had the opportunity to visit the Cargill soybean crushing and biodiesel plant in Kansas City, and to evaluate the high level of the U.S. crushing industry, as well as the professional involvement of USSEC members in the quality of the U.S origin commodities.

The Tunisian customers were already aware of the high level of the U.S. Soy Global Trade Exchange and were pleased to attend this event, saying that they were very satisfied with the level of the conference. They were also pleased with the professional relationships they built, especially with traders and equipment company representatives, during their visit. They were grateful to USSEC for having the opportunity to visit the Nebraska University Research Center as well as to attend a field visit to Richard Bartek’s soybean farm in Ithaca, Nebraska.

At the end of their trip, the Tunisian customers realized the differentiation of U.S. soybeans compared to other origins and had a better idea about the sustainability of soy production in the U.S.