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Missouri soybean farmer sees opportunity to grow U.S. soy exports in Thailand

A central Missouri farmer saw firsthand this summer what’s driving demand for U.S. soy in Thailand’s livestock industry.

“A group of us went to visit with feed mills and processors, just trying to build that relationship,” says Robert Alpers, a board member on the United Soybean Board.

Thailand imports more than seven million metric tons of soybeans each year, but Alpers says only five percent of those beans come from the United States. He says there’s a 10 percent tariff on all soybeans imported into the country, and soybean buyers prioritize price over quality.

“It’s hard to change their minds; it’s a long process. We’ve done it before, but now we only have a five percent marketshare and we hope to change that. It’s a growing market that’s expanding into other countries.”

Alpers says quality soybeans matter when it comes to feeding animals. He says helping buyers in Thailand understand that takes time.

“Part of our quality is how we harvest our crop,” says Alpers. “We use air, we don’t use heat. South America uses a lot of heat on their soybeans and damages them. We have to prove we are better, and we can prove it.”

Alpers joined other farmer leaders from Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota on the checkoff trip to Thailand.