Her contributions to the U.S. rice industry during her distinguished career are beyond measure. New frontiers are often defined by importing sectors, or niches, within countries. For example, in some markets, bulk importers with little or no prior exposure to rice from outside sources are now exploring imports because of market liberalization. In some markets, retail buyers are commanding more control over the type and quality of rice purchases. In key Central American countries, aggregate demand for imported rice more than doubled in recent years, in large part due to liberalized trading systems.
Turkey is at the other end of the spectrum.
There, market position can be improved by targeting the shifting demand from bulk importers to supermarket buyers and other distributors. In Central America, with its expanding economy and an increasingly financially secure and quality-conscious middle class, a tailored, aggressive program targeted at education and relationship building spells success. But in Turkey and similar markets, adjusting promotion programs to expand both value and volume and secure consistent demand can yield improved market share. Building Relationships Relationship building with millers, distributors and packagers as well as educating supermarket buyers, hotel and restaurant importers and industrial segments about the diverse and high quality nature of U.S. rice is critical. Understanding the new government role is critical to suppliers and buyers alike.