WA growers gain insight into international demand for Aussie grain while in Japan

Just under 40 WA grain growers have returned home from the 2024 CBH Group’s Grower Study Tour with newfound knowledge and appreciation for one of WA’s premium markets —Japan. Every year, WA exports about 3 million tonnes of noodle wheat, malt, feed barley, oats and canola to the East Asian country. This year’s study tour, which ran from September 8 to 15, saw growers from all across WA see first hand where their grain goes and how important it is in the Japanese supply chain. CBH chief marketing and trading officer Paul Smith, who attended the trip, said growers were able to get a lot of valuable insight out of this year’s tour. “CBH has run these grower study tours for a while now, and over the journey we’ve learnt the value of growers really understanding what’s taking place out there in the international market,” he said. “At the end of the day, it is that demand coming from our international market that drives value back to growers. “I think we can try to explain that when we talk to growers here, but I think the best way to do it is to introduce the growers to the customers, put them into the market place and have the customers explain the value of what Western Australian grain means to them.” The tour group began their journey in Japan’s south before working their way up to Tokyo. Growers visited a range of businesses that source WA grain, including a brewing company, flour miller, feed miller and canola oil producer. Attendees were even able to meet Zen-Noh, who is responsible for the marketing of Japan’s national agricultural cooperative, as well as the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan, which buys Australian wheat before distributing it to flour mills. During these visits, growers were able to have direct conversations with the people who buy their grain. “I just don’t think there’s another way to replicate that (insight) for growers, so I think it’s extremely valuable they were up there, and they were able to ask questions and really be curious and engaged,” Mr Smith said. Growers heard one constant message during the week, which was customers’ desire for a consistent supply and the continuation of a strong trading relationship between Japan and Australia. “They (Japan) are a premium market for us, and they are a consistent market for us, and those two things are very important in a global environment that can be quite volatile at times,” Mr Smith said. NEED FOR AUSTRALIAN GRAIN Japan is the second biggest agricultural product importer in the world, and while it is self-sufficient in its rice production, it relies on international exports for other grains. The country’s mountainous landscape poses limitations to farming (only 20 per cent of Japan’s land is suitable for cultivation) and factors such as varying rainfall make it difficult for Japan to produce consistent annual yields. Japan’s own wheat varieties (such as Kitahonami, Satonosora and Minaminokaori) also have higher fluctuations in protein content compared to imported products such as the Australian noodle wheat. More than 80 per cent of Japan’s domestic demand for wheat is met by imported products. On average, Australia imports 770,000 tonnes of wheat to MAFF, which then distributes the product to flour milling companies to make goods such as bread and noodles. Growers saw first-hand the rising demand for noodle wheat and heard directly from the Japan Flour Millers Association on the importance for a longstanding, stable supply of Australian wheat. Australian noodle wheat (which has low amylose and soft starch) is considered ideal to produce noodles and is typically used to make udon. Australia is a big player when it comes to producing wheat for Ibonoito’s Tenobe Somen noodles, a cold noodle dish popular for summer consumption. In 2006, Australian noodle wheat accounted for about 50 per cent of product used for Ibonoito Tenobe noodles. GROWERS’ THOUGHTS NICK TURNER, RAVENSTHORPE “Just seeing how important the quality assurance is for the Japanese market, and seeing that we provide a premium product is pretty amazing.” SANDY JACKSON, KOJONUP “I think Japan was amazing because we learnt how important food hygiene and preparation is to the Japanese public, and how they really want the best quality food they can possibly get.” JO ASHWORTH, KALANNIE “I’ve just been blown away by the cleanliness, tidiness and automation and efficiency of everything in Japan ... I’d recommend everyone give the trip a crack.” MITCHELL HUNTER, ARDATH “My favourite part of the tour was the sochu plant. I really enjoyed meeting all the customers that we deliver all our grain to, and it’s great to see how they use our produce and how much they appreciate the quality of the produce we send into their country.” COLIN SMITH, BREMER BAY “My favourite part of the trip was probably going on a farm and communicating with them (the rice farm owners), which was great.” WHERE THEY WENT (SEPTEMBER 8 TO 15) DAY 1: FUKUOKA TO BEPPU The group arrived in Fukuoka and were treated to sightseeing in the city. They then travelled by bus for sightseeing in Yufuin and Beppu. Sanwa Shurui hosted the group for dinner at Hotel Beppu Pastoral and treated growers to a taste of their well-known Shochu, Iichiko. DAY 2: OITA TO HIMEJI The group travelled by bus to the Sanwa Shurui brewing company, located in the Oita prefecture, before travelling by bullet train to Himeji. Japan’s agricultural cooperative’s marketing team, Zen-Noh, hosted the group for dinner. DAY 3: HIMEJI TO YOKOHAMA The group travelled to the Hyogo Prefecture by bus to visit the Tenobe Somen Cooperative. Afterwards, the group visited a somen noodle museum and then toured the Nisshin Flour Mills in Higashinada. DAY 4: YOKOHAMA The group travelled by bus to to the Nisshin OilliO Group’s canola oil plant in Isogo, and then visited the Cup Noodles Museum in Yokohama. DAY 5: YOKOHAMA TO OTA The group heard presentations from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan, as well as the Japan Flour Millers Association. In the afternoon, the group visited the Mikuria Rice Centre and JA group’s rice farm in Ashikaga. Day 6: OTA TO TOKYO The group visited the Kumiai Feed barley Mill in Ota before catching a bus to the Zen-Noh headquarters in Tokyo. In the evening, the group was treated to a farewell dinner party hosted by Zen-Noh. Day 7: TOKYO TO PERTH Attendees wrapped up by the tour with a bit of sightseeing, visiting the Senso-Ji Buddhist temple in Asakusa and then the Tsukiji fish market before catching their flight back to Perth. Olivia Ford attended the tour as a guest of the CBH Group.