Apr 26, 2016
SEOUL, KOREA -- USA Rice met with several key rice groups yesterday to review the Korean market, promotion activities, and long-term market access.
Michael Rue, California producer and chairman of the USA Rice Asia Trade Policy Subcommittee, and USA Rice COO Bob Cummings had a strategy session with the USA Rice promotion team to review current activities, including an ongoing restaurant promotion using U.S. medium grain, and plans for the current year.
Rue and Cummings met with U.S. Agricultural Counselor Ross Kraemer and his staff to discuss efforts to best maintain access for U.S. rice following Korea's move to rice tariffication in 2015. The U.S. government and other rice exporting countries in the World Trade Organization objected to Korea's rice tariffs, and even though the issue remains unresolved, Korea continues to import rice, including from the United States. They also had meetings with members of the Korean trade involved in the import of U.S. rice.
"Korea is an important market for U.S. rice," said Rue. "Our promotion activities show clear demand, and we need to make sure we have stable access going forward."
Rue and Cummings will be joined later this week by other USA Rice members in Taipei for the first U.S.-Taiwan rice technical meeting.