North Asia market support

North Asia market support

This project aims to preserve Australia’s share of Japan and Korea’s premium noodle markets while also servicing Taiwan’s smaller, but historically stable market. Engagement with these markets focuses on addressing the stability in supply and quality of noodle blends, maintaining Australia’s good reputation as a wheat supplier, and increasing the understanding of the value of Australian wheat.

Australian wheat breeders support AEGIC in these markets to ensure a high degree of cooperation. There is an opportunity to include other grains, in particular malting and feed barley and oats.

AEGIC convenes an expert panel biennially with the Japan Flour Millers Association (JFMA) to conduct udon noodle sensory evaluations. This supports Grains Australia’s decision-making process for breeding and classification.

Completed (March 2025)

• In January 2025, with the GIWA Wheat Council, we hosted Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), the Japan Flour Milling Association (JFMA), and Japan’s top flour milling companies, to share seasonal information, provide industry updates, and discuss the expected performance and uptake of recently released udon wheat varieties.
• In March 2025 we hosted a noodle expert from one of the leading Japanese flour milling companies. The visit was used to evaluate new crop ANW and APWN varieties as well as new lines in development by our major breeding companies.

Scheduled (by June 2025)

• In June 2025, we are hosting Australian wheat quality seminars in:
  • Taipei: 9 June
  • Tokyo: 17 June (supported by Grains Australia, AGT and InterGrain)
  • Seoul: 23 June (supported by AGT and InterGrain)
• In Tokyo in June, we will also host joint AEGIC–JFMA sensory evaluation of the latest udon varieties. We will also conduct further sensory evaluation of the colour preferences for udon noodles, supported by Grains Australia.
• The next visiting JFMA sensory noodle exert is planned for October 2025.

If you would like to know more, please contact us