Judging the Rising Chef Challenge
Jun 07, 2024
SINGAPORE – USA Rice, other trade associations, and U.S. companies met today with United States Trade Representative (USTR) Chief Agricultural Negotiator Ambassador Doug McKalip to discuss the bilateral and regional agriculture trade environment in Singapore. Ambassador McKalip traveled here this week to participate in events highlighting the 20th anniversary of the U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreement and the robust trading relationship shared between the two countries. While here, he also participated in meetings relating to the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).
USA Rice informed Ambassador McKalip that unlike many Asian countries, Singapore imposes no barriers on U.S. rice exports, and despite its small size, is a high-value market for U.S. rice, importing between $1 million to $3 million worth of rice annually. Additionally, the USA Rice marketing efforts here have strategically targeted both the foodservice and retail sectors.
“USA Rice has collaborated with chefs on restaurant projects featuring various cuisines such as Spanish, Italian, and even local, culminating this year in the USA Rice Rising Chef Challenge,” said Marcus Ng, the USA Rice representative in Singapore who attended the meeting. “On the consumer front, digital marketing campaigns have been pivotal as collaborations with influencers on recipe videos and social media help to convey key messages and expose consumers to different U.S. rice varieties.”
USA Rice also emphasized the importance of including market access in IPEF negotiations to maintain a level playing field in terms of subsidies and standards across the Indo-Pacific region, and to benefit U.S. agriculture overall by making competition more fair.
U.S. exports to Singapore are 41 percent higher in the first three months of 2024 compared with the same time frame in 2023.