USSEC vice chairman and United Soybean Board (USB) director Derek Haigwood of Arkansas was part of the agribusiness trade mission to India led by U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney October 30 - November 3.
The mission visited with customers and potential customers of U.S. agricultural products, government officials, and industry officials in Mumbai and New Delhi. U.S. agricultural exports to India have grown nearly 250 percent over the past decade, but the country’s barriers impede exports of many U.S. products and commodities. The mission sought to better understand how to clear those hurdles and enhance trade.
In addition to Mr. Haigwood, USSEC Asia Subcontinent (ASC) Acting Regional Lead Pam Helmsing and ASC Deputy Regional Lead P.E. Vijay Anand met with Under Secretary Ted McKinney; Minister Counselor, USDA, India Scott Sindelar; North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring; and Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Agriculture David J. Frederickson. The delegation discussed the importance of the Asia Subcontinent as a growing market for U.S. Soy, potential for opening up trade with India, and background information for trade talks during the mission.
USSEC industry members Scoular, Global Processing Inc. and CHS Inc. were part of the trade delegation that included approximately 50 business and trade associations who sought to grow U.S. agricultural exports to India. More than 150 Indian companies along with importers from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka participated in more than 400 business-to-business meetings. USSEC worked closely with USDA to invite 23 Indian customers that have prior experience in testing U.S. non-GM soybeans in their business applications as well as several animal feed and soy crush plant customers from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka that import GM soybeans and meal. Additional meetings and field trips to visit logistics facilities (cold storage handling U.S. agricultural commodities) added value to the mission.