By Jamie Martin
The U.S. Grains Council (USGC) recently conducted visits and meetings in Saudi Arabia to promote the benefits of U.S. corn and its co-products for animal feed and industrial use.
The program focused on understanding customer challenges and exploring opportunities for collaboration in the Kingdom, a rapidly growing market for U.S. exports.
“U.S. feed grains and co-products could be a good fit for supporting growth given U.S. corn’s qualities like more favourable feed conversion ratios (FCR), higher levels of starch extractability, and more optimal impacts on feed milling due to lower energy usage as recent and ongoing studies led by the Council have demonstrated,” said Ana Maria Ballesteros, USGC deputy regional director.
Saudi Arabia, the largest importer of U.S. corn in the Middle East, purchased over 900,000 metric tons (MT) and shows strong growth potential under its Vision 2030 project for self-sufficiency. During site visits, the Council addressed technical concerns such as grain storage and maximizing output with U.S.-origin corn.
The Council highlighted the shift from barley to corn in poultry and dairy feed rations, an essential step for achieving Saudi Arabia’s self-sufficiency goals. “Corn and its co-products will continue to be a necessary component as the country aims to become self-sufficient in domestic production of broilers, layers, and other industries,” Ballesteros said.
Through ongoing engagement and education, the USGC seeks to enhance cooperation, ensure smoother transitions for local industries, and benefit both U.S. producers and Saudi end-users.
Photo Credit: us-grains-council
Categories: National