AN over-arching organisation to market Australian wheat internationally must be formed – and quickly – says long-time grains industry heavyweight, Tom Keene.
About 13 million tonnes of Australian wheat will be exported and sold with no Australian brand in this financial year, says Mr Keene, who is GrainCorp’s former managing director.
Now chairman of the private grain trader and trading standards body, Grain Trade Australia (formerly the National Agricultural Commodity Marketing Association), he said branding would differentiate local wheat from cheaper Argentinean and Black Sea wheat from Russia, the Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
It would also position Australian wheat alongside higher value US and Canadian wheat, said Mr Keene, who is also chairman of the flour and baking research and wheat quality monitoring organisation, BRI Australia.
His ideas are supported by the executive officer of the Australian Grain Exporters Association, Rosemary Richards, who says because of its specific qualities local wheat is easier to market to millers.
* Full story in The Land, December 24 edition.
