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NDTO News Article

Press Release: Chinese Food Buyer to Tour North Dakota, Visit Crop Facilities

FARGO, N.D. – Five executives from the China SDIC International Trade Co., Ltd. (SDIC Trade) will be touring North Dakota Oct. 28-31, 2012, as a follow-up to the North Dakota Trade Office (NDTO) and North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) March 2012 China Trade Mission. SDIC Trade is a large food importer and has built a distribution network covering all of China.

“I am pleased that these key Chinese business executives have accepted my invitation to visit North Dakota and see for themselves what North Dakota has to offer,” said Lt. Gov. Drew Wrigley, chairman of the NDTO Board of Directors. “We introduced them to several North Dakota companies during our trade mission to China in March, and now we have an opportunity for them to tour our businesses, learn more about our high-quality products and build on our business ties.”

While in North Dakota, SDIC Trade will visit with local leaders, discuss educational collaboration opportunities and tour seven regional agricultural facilities throughout the state.

“The occasion to meet with SDIC here in North Dakota offers a tremendous opportunity to further build our relationship with food purchasers for the Chinese consumers,” said North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner, Doug Goehring. “It’s important to be able to demonstrate to them first-hand the excellence of our production systems here in North Dakota and the commitment of our farmers and ranchers to produce quality food for consumers around the world.”

North Dakota products of particular interest to SDIC Trade include canola oil, peas, wheat flour, lentils, flaxseed, flaxseed oil and seed varieties. SDIC is scheduled to tour facilities including, JM Grain, North Dakota Mill, Northstar Agri Industries, Red River Commodities, SK Food International, Specialty Commodities and United Pulse Trading. Additionally, executives from SDIC will meet with Lt. Gov. Drew Wrigley, Agriculture Commissioner Goehring, NDTO and North Dakota State University.

The relationship with SDIC Trade began during the March 2012 North Dakota – China Trade Mission in which NDTO, Lt. Gov. Drew Wrigley and Ag Commissioner Goehring led 10 North Dakota companies and organizations to meet with Chinese officials and potential trade partners in the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Yantai and Henan Province.

Chinese consumers have increased their spending on food an average of 17 percent per year for the past four years. North Dakota’s exports to China have increased approximately 443 percent since 2000; the state’s exports to the world have increased over 540 percent during the same period.

Engaged in the trade business of more than 200 categories, the SDIC Trade has been ranking among the “Top 500 Companies in China in Terms of Import/Export Volume”, “Top 500 Service Providers in China” and “National Class-A Import/Export Companies” since 2000.