March 3, 2003

NCI Pasta Course in Mexico Draws 73 Participants

Fargo, ND, USA - Interest in northern-grown U.S. durum and pasta processing sparked Northern Crops Institute to offer a course in a new location…the state of Sonora, Mexico.

Seventy-three people attended the February course that focused on quality of durum wheat for milling and pasta production. Over 40 were from the milling pasta industries. Another 20 were from the University of Sonora, including a number of graduate students.

Dr. Benjamin Ramirez Wong, professor at the University of Sonora, Mexico, spearheaded bringing the course to Mexico. He attended the annual Pasta and Noodle course at the NCI in April 2002, and felt there could be significant value in offering a course like it in the northwestern part of Mexico.

A few grain traders who attended commented that the Mexican market is seen as one with potential for U.S. durum sales. Pasta consumption is increasing throughout Mexico. This results in a need for processors and quality control personnel to gain a better understanding of durum quality and how it relates to the final pasta quality.

"An important part of the course was getting people interested in northern-grown U.S. durum," according to Brian Sorenson, NCI's Technical Director and program coordinator. "Apparently, Mexican durum production is very expensive, and it is cheaper to buy durum from the U.S. They can see the need for quality, and if we can demonstrate the quality of northern grown U.S. durum, we can increase our market," he concluded.

Additional instructors in the course were Wesley Twombly, NCI's Extrusion Specialist, and Jim Jacobs, consultant from Woodbury, MN, and former NCI Technical Director. Representatives of the Buhler Company were also speakers.

The course was enthusiastically received, according to Dr. Ramirez Wong. Another course is in the works for next year.

Northern Crops Institute supports regional agriculture and value-added processing by conducting educational and technical programs that expand and maintain domestic and international markets for northern-grown crops.