THIS year's CBH Group Grower Study Tour has officially kicked off with participants currently working their way through Japan.
The 2019 tour is a 10-day trip to Japan and South Korea, with the group leaving Perth last Saturday.
During the tour, growers will visit key customers and processors including shochu manufacturers, barley processors, flour and feed mills as well as visit port facilities and local sightseeing attractions.
When announcing where this year's tour would be headed back in April, CBH general manager marketing and trading Jason Craig said it was a great opportunity for growers to gain an understanding of two of the longest standing Western Australian grain markets.
"It's a once in a lifetime opportunity to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of where Western Australian grain is consumed, and to take in the wonderful cultural offerings on offer in these countries," Mr Craig said.
"Having delivered Western Australian grain to the region for many decades, CBH's relationship with our Japanese and South Korean customers and industry organisation contacts remains as strong as ever.
"Japan and South Korea are two of our closest and longest-standing markets and combined, have purchased about 15 to 20 per cent of CBH Marketing and Trading's exports over the past few years."
This week growers have already visited Sanwa Shurui Co Ltd, which is the second largest Shochu manufacturer in Japan, with the famous brand 'Iichiko Shochu' and Takabatake Seibaki Co Ltd, which is a barley processor in Shikoku Island whose products are used as staple food mix with rice, miso paste and Shochu spirit.
Yesterday (Wednesday), the tour group visited Yoshihara flour miller and premium manufacturer famous for Udon noodle and the Zen-Noh Silo.
Zen-Noh is the National Federation of Agricultural Co-operative Associations - a farmer's organisation with 945 member co-operatives. Its share of the Japanese feed and livestock sector is 22.7 per cent.
This year's tour included 40 growers from across WA and the Eastern States, as well as CBH staff.
- Travis King has travelled to Japan and South Korea as a guest of CBH.