05/24/06 India`s wheat tender

Farm and Ranch May 24, 2006 India, which in recent years has actually been a wheat exporter, has been tendering for three-million metric tons of wheat to import. Twenty years ago northwest soft white wheat growers may have had a shot at some of that business. But Tom Mick, CEO of the Washington Wheat Commission, says things have changed in India. Mick: "Most of the wheat was being used for cookies and crackers and for chappades, which is a flat bread which they wanted a soft wheat. Since that time they have westernized and their tastes have changed considerably so western style loaf bread is the product of choice for people who do have some disposable income. So there is an increased emphasis on hard wheats. Their indigenous wheats also have been improved and they are more of a semi-hard to a hard wheat versus a soft wheat, which they were in the 70s and 80s." Mick says India also has some specifications in its tender, a 31-page tender, which makes it difficult for exporters to meet. Mick: "They have a TCK requirement, which we think is sort of ridiculous because they don't have the climatic conditions that are conducive to developing TCK. They also have a KB requirement and KB originated from India." Indian media reports says eight offers were received on India's tender but only two appear to meet the quality standards called for. One of those said to meet the specs is the Australian Wheat Board. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.