In a meeting with the Arrozgua (the Guatemalan Rice Association) Board of Directors, USA Rice discussed our on-going promotional activities as well as U.S. rice quality issues, which have been a concern in Latin America recently.  Arrozgua stated that the rice they received at the end of last year and in the first few shipments this year is a much better quality than previous years, though some members mentioned that chalk is still an issue. 

At another meeting, rice importer Agroindustrias Albay expressed strong support for USA Rice's promotional activities that include cooking demonstrations and classes.  Agroindustrias Albay has been in business for 30 years, but just recently began participating in USA Rice consumer promotion activities and cited substantial increases in rice sales this year as a result. 

"Promotional activities that USA Rice conducts in supermarkets like La Torre and Walmart are efficient, effective ways to reach a large number of people and immediately influence them to purchase U.S. rice," said Jim Guinn, USA Rice's vice president of International Promotion.  "Companies that participate in these USA Rice events have experienced a nearly 40 percent increase in sales during the in-store cooking demonstrations and classes." 

USA Rice also conducts weekly cooking seminars at Chef Javier's Kitchen, a cooking classroom and television studio where trained chefs teach about nutrition and innovative ways of using rice. 

Guatemala has the lowest annual per capita rice consumption in all of Central America, at about 15 pounds (compared with Panama which is at 160 pounds).  Guatemala also has the largest population in Central America with approximately 15 million people and, if rice consumption can be increased, U.S. rice exporters could benefit greatly.  Local production provides about 30 percent of Guatemala's rice consumption needs, with the remaining 70 percent being imported from the U.S. and other Latin American countries.

The U.S. exported nearly 68,000 MT of rice to Guatemala in 2013, with paddy rice comprising almost 95 percent of those exports.

Contact:  Sarah Moran, (703) 236-1457

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