FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GMD Solutions Assists AMEROPA with Delivery of American Wheat to IRAQ!
Washington, D.C. January 7, 2004. AMEROPA, an international grain and fertilizer trading company, is pleased to announce that it has completed arrangements with the UN World Food Program and Iraqi Ministry of Trade authorities to deliver 32,000 metric tons of wheat to Iraq in early 2004. This is a significant event as it is the first commercial export of U.S.wheat delivered to Iraq in over six years and is representative of the establishment of agribusiness in Iraq under the new government, which is different from the non-traditional trading terms used under the UN Oil-For-Food Program in past years.
This requirement of 32,000 metric tons was originally part of a UN Oil-For-Food contract with the World Food Program, which AMEROPA was responsible for executing for the Russian company ALFA-ECO. The deliveries of Russian wheat under the contract were interrupted by the events of Operation Iraqi Freedom last year. During the renegotiation of these contracts, AMEROPA, with ALFA-ECO’s concurrence, approached the Iraqi Ministry of Trade, the World Food Program, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Agriculture with a proposal to substitute high quality U.S. Hard Red Winter Wheat for the remainder of the contract deliveries.
While this quantity of U.S. wheat is small in comparison to Iraqi wheat import requirements of about 2 million metric tons annually, it is symbolic and represents an opportunity for Iraq to demonstrate that procedures for future wheat purchases will be on a competitive basis in the world market -- which should enable U.S. farmers to compete for Iraqi contracts in the months and years ahead. AMEROPA’s initiative to substitute U.S.wheat received strong support from the American Farm Bureau Federation, U.S. Wheat Associates and Members of Congress representing farm states and was equally endorsed by the Iraqi Ministry of Trade to complete this historic event.
For more information on Ameropa, visit their website at: http://www.ameropa.ch/
GMD Solutions, Inc. provides a full range of marketing support to its foreign and domestic clients including: market surveys and analysis, market entry strategies, development of marketing plans, and direct client support in the execution of the marketing and sales effort. The professional staff brings over 175 years of proven ability in creating and developing government and commercial sales opportunities worldwide to its clients. The division offers customer support in the following primary areas: Domestic Marketing & Consulting Services, International Marketing, Washington Representation, and Government Contract Services. The GMD Solutions, Inc. professional staff is supported by a senior advisory board, and 50+ outside consultants are available to GMD Solutions, Inc., as well as an extensive network of consultants and consulting companies in over 20 major market countries to assist its clients in developing domestic and international markets.
For More Information Contact:
Ms. Terri Deerr
2121 Eisenhower Ave
Suite 600
Alexandria, VA 22314 USA
Tel: 703-299-6649
Fax: 703-299-9213
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