Home Safe

Well, after 21, 937 miles traveled, and 2 foreign countries visited, the U.S. Soy Delegation made it home safely. I feel that this mission to Indonesia and the Philippines was a success.  I look forward to sharing the message with fellow producers on how our world is changing and what can we do to participate in markets like this.  Thanks to all those that followed and a special Thank You to the ND Soybean Council for their sponsorship and efforts they are putting forth in International Soy Marketing, it is truly paying dividends to U.S. soybean farmers.

Brent Kohls
ND Soybean Grower
Mayville, ND

Trade Mission Brief Synopsis (Return Trip Layover)

Thursday, December 8

Wow.  What an experience.  This trip has offered us as American Soybean Producers and leaders to not only meet soybean and soybean product buyers in these markets, it has also allowed us to meet and learn about the people of the Philippines and Indonesia.  This is very important because the more we find out about our customer and their future potential, the better we will be able to serve their food needs as they seek a lifestyle in which we have become accustomed to take for granted.

Nihon Warehouse

Fadjar Setiawan, AGP Indopro Indonesia (center) inspects the U.S. soybeans he supplied Nihon with.  The soybeans for this facility arrive via container and are manually offloaded and stored until being distributed throughout rural Indonesia in 50 kilo or 110 lb. bags.







Portable gravity table and fan set up in warehouse to screen out foreign material prior to being bagged for food consumption.

Nihon Warehouse

Wed. Dec. 7. Today we visited Nihon warehouse on the outskirts of Jakarta. Nihon purchases U.S. soybeans for Tofu & Tempeh production, which is a staple in the Indonesian diet as the median gross income per capita is only $3000 annually.


Delegates and Nihon Warehouse Management pose in front of U.S. Soybeans.  They prefer US soybeans because of the consistency, color, and appearance for food consumption..

Jakarta Indonesia

Jakarta population 15 million. It is estimated that 3 million people commute in and out of city daily.

Bean Sale

For some reason this post didn't show up last week.  During our visit in the Philippines, the Philippino Import Group purchased 2 vessels of US Soybean Meal for January & February totaling nearly 90,000 metric tons.  We had an opportunity to thank the Import buying group first hand at the Christmas Party held at the Manila Polo Club.  This import buying group is comprised of various feed millers in the Philippines.

JAPFA President & Mgmt. Team