In this episode of the "In The Know On the Go" podcast, host Oli Le Lievre is joined by Julia Hausler, Director at GrainGrowers, to discuss their recent trip to Vietnam and the opportunities for Australian grain growers in the Vietnamese market. Julia shares insights from their visit, including interactions with customers, suppliers, and policymakers, as well as their participation in the Australian grains industry conference.

They delve into the growing demand for grains in Vietnam, the importance of sustainability and profitability, and the need for market education and supply chain improvements to remain competitive. Julia highlights the significance of consistency in grain quality and the role of falling numbers in meeting customer expectations.

Episode Highlights:

• Julia's role as a grower director at GrainGrowers and her focus on sustainability and profitability: "And you can throw sustainability, which is a good new focus for us, profitability and sustainability into that mix. And just generally thinking of putting the grower first for everything that we do."
• Purpose of the trip to Vietnam and engaging with the market: "As growers, we don't always get that opportunity to meet the customers or the processors or the consumers as well in foreign markets because we're that one step removed from the supply chain."
• Rapid growth and opportunities in Vietnam: "Well, it seems to be in rapid growth actually... There was enormous amount of construction going on. There was a large population moving around, and Vietnam has 90 million people."
• Vietnamese demand for Australian grains and increasing middle-class population: "That's a big opportunity for changing consumer habits... demand for baked goods, which is good news for wheat, but also good demand increase for animal protein."
• Importance of grain quality and consistency: "Time and time again, the customers said they like Australian rice, wheat, and barley because it's clean, it's dry, it's white, it's sound, with a high falling number, and it's food safe."
• Recommendations for growers to stay competitive and informed: "They can also contact GrainGrowers, talk to any of us on our delegation who went on the delegation as well. And, yeah, and the trade as well. It's really important that the trade and growers have a good working relationship to understand what growers deliver makes what the trade needs."

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