Western Producer

The United States is likely to lose lucrative market share of wheat in Japan, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is warning the American agriculture industry.

The reason: other nations’ embrace of free trade deals.

“The current market preference for (Canadian spring wheat) over (American spring wheat) may be compounded in the coming years by the reduction in the Japanese government markup for 1CW if the (revived Trans Pacific Partnership) is effectuated,” said the report from the USDA’s Foreign Agriculture Service, titled Competitive Field Tilts Against US Wheat in Japan.

The report also suggests Australia’s share of the wheat market will increase if TPP is approved. In 2016, Japan imported US$1.4 billion worth of wheat, with 45 percent coming from the U.S., USDA said in the report.

Western Producer