By Scout Nelson
Testing wheat quality by popping a kernel into your mouth is almost instinctive, whether you are a Kansas farmer or the leader of an East African company.
This shared emphasis on wheat quality, along with gaining insight into U.S. grain production, handling, and marketing, motivated a Tanzanian trade delegation to visit Kansas this week.
Organized by U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) with support from Kansas Wheat, the delegation included two representatives from the Bakhresa Group, a family-owned business in East Africa operating in agro-processing, food and beverages, packaging, logistics, media, and marine transport.
Bakhresa is the largest grain milling company in East Africa, with operations in nine countries, including Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Rwanda, Burundi, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
After starting their visit in South Dakota, the team traveled to Kansas to tour the USDA Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS), the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center, and the IGP Institute. They also met with grain suppliers, handlers, and exporters to gain firsthand knowledge of U.S. wheat production and marketing.
East Africa relies heavily on wheat imports for everyday foods, from mandazi, a traditional fried bread, to products like instant noodles. While Russia has historically supplied over half of these imports, Bakhresa is seeking to diversify suppliers.
The delegation visited Justin Knopf’s machine shop near Gypsum to discuss tractors and family farm operations. “The relationships between U.S. farmers and these gentlemen running a family business providing flour and baked goods in East Africa are significant to me,” Knopf said.
“It’s meaningful to know that they probably have very similar conversations on a day-to-day basis as my brother, dad and I have. Even though it’s a different type of business, the conversations and the values are the same.”
The Bakhresa team sampled Knopf’s U.S. hard red winter (HRW) wheat. “They were very pleased with the wheat sample from my field and my farm,” Knopf said. “That’s very reaffirming, and it gives me more motivation and inspiration for that mindset of continuous improvement.”
The visit led to an immediate purchase of 5,000 metric tons (nearly 184,000 bushels) of HRW wheat for Bakhresa’s Durban, South Africa mill. “I am grateful because I learn something every time that we host a trade team or international visitors on our farm,” Knopf said.
“I like to hear about what’s on their mind, what’s important in their business and their values, because that matters to me.”
“The team members were very knowledgeable, incredibly intelligent and asked great questions. They are the type of people that I would like to learn from and do business with.”
Photo Credit: gettyimages-ianchrisgraham
Categories: Kansas, Crops, Wheat, Government & Policy