USSEC held the 7^th Asia Grain Transportation Conference on May 19-21 at the Westin Resort Nusa Dua in Bali, Indonesia.  This year’s conference drew 120 participants, representing over 75 companies involved in all aspects of agribusiness from across the Southeast Asia region.  The goal of the conference was to continue the development of a knowledgeable customer base that is aware of the advantages of importing soy products from the U.S. in terms of better quality, efficient handling and logistics, and reliable counterparties.  The theme of the event was “Gaining a Competitive Edge in Agribusiness.”

Initial feedback from this year’s participants has been very positive as attendees found the topics and presentations interesting and relevant to their work.  The event also addressed many of the concerns currently faced by the industry.  USSEC Chairman Randy Mann spoke on the subject of U.S. 2014 soybean crop prospects.  Other presentations gave an overview of grain and wheat, but the conference mainly focused on topics of grain logistics and port development in addition to freight outlook on container and bulk shipments of agricultural products.  Workshops on price and risk management, procurement strategies, understanding trade contracts, and maintaining quality of agri-products in containers were also featured.  The two-day conference provided participants with the latest insights and expert opinions on the market.
USSEC will continue to establish itself as a well-known and respected entity among Southeast Asian agricultural communities.  Programs such as this help importers and end-users of soy products to associate the benefits and assistance from USSEC activities as a major incentive to import U.S. soy.