USSEC’s Taiwan office is maintaining the containerized soybean market and assisting several U.S. firms expand their market presence.
USSEC’s trade servicing activities have maintained exports of bulk-loaded soybeans originating from states such as Illinois and Ohio.  These bulk-loaded soybean origination points provided soybean producers in that vicinity with additional options for the sale of their soybeans and improve the prices paid in the region.  Illinois also happens to be a major importer containerized goods from Taiwan into the United States; and thus, has a massive amount of empty containers available for shipping soybeans back to Taiwan.  Containerized shipments allow Taiwanese importers to order soybeans specifically for food uses from suppliers with loading facilities in Illinois.  By focusing on containerized shipments of identity preserved (IP) soybeans in addition to traditional bulk shipments, USSEC has helped develop a sizeable and reliable market for high-value IP soybeans.
USSEC’s Taiwan office provides trade servicing assistance to U.S. SME exporters through introductions to importers, arranging schedules for sales negotiations, and interpretation services.  Firms in Ohio, Kentucky, North Dakota, Minnesota and Missouri have used USSEC Taiwan’s trade development services.  Combined, the firms USSEC has assisted exported more than 7,000 metric tons (MT) of high-value IP food grade soybeans.  USSEC helped a Minnesota firm to compete for a new contract to provide 100 containers of soybeans to a major Taiwan soy milk processor.  Additionally, a Kentucky firm has seen its sales to Taiwan double over the past two years, shipping more than 100 containers in 2013.