Photo credit: U.S. Wheat Associates.
U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) has signed an agreement with Indonesia’s flour milling association aimed at setting minimum purchase volumes for U.S. wheat through 2030.
The agreement with APTINDO, signed July 7, 2025, calls for purchases of at least 800,000 metric tons, or 29.4 million bushels, of U.S. milling wheat in calendar year 2025. The volume is set to increase to 1 million metric tons, or more than 36.7 million bushels, annually from 2026 through 2030, valued at an estimated $250 million per year.
Indonesia is consistently among the top three global wheat-importing countries, but its market remains highly price sensitive, with millers closely evaluating value and performance across origins.
USW supported the agreement through a series of trade and technical programs funded by the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program and the Market Access Program aimed at demonstrating the performance and value of U.S. wheat classes.
In August 2025, USW led a Southeast Asia regional trade team on a 1,500-mile tour from Great Falls, Montana, to Portland, Oregon, bringing mill executives from Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines through the U.S. wheat value chain. During the mission, an Indonesian participant reported arranging his first combined cargo of U.S. wheat and soybean meal and purchased 19,260 metric tons of U.S. soft white and hard red winter wheat.
In September, USW sponsored an Indonesian mill manager’s participation in a Grain Procurement Management for Importers short course at the Northern Crops Institute in Fargo, North Dakota. The training introduced U.S. marketing systems and purchasing strategies, and the participant made a 55,000-metric-ton wheat purchase during the program.
In October, USW coordinated technical training led by Shawn Thiele of the IGP Institute at Kansas State University. Milling specialists worked directly with Indonesian production staff on optimal use of U.S. wheat classes, prompting investments in sifter capacity, improved tempering times and adjustments to flour blending practices.
A November crop quality seminar drew more than 80 major wheat buyers and millers and provided updates on supply conditions and quality. Dr. Shahidul Islam of North Dakota State University presented research on the effects of dark, hard and vitreous kernel content on flour and baking performance. Following the seminar, one Indonesian milling company adjusted its purchasing specifications for U.S. hard red spring wheat to 55% DHV, aligning more closely with average crop conditions.
As a result of these engagements and the MOU framework, Indonesia imported 832,588 metric tons, or 30.6 million bushels, of U.S. wheat from July through December 2025. That total exceeded the first-year commitment and included hard red spring, hard red winter, soft white and soft red winter wheat. Over the past five marketing years, Indonesia has imported an average of 500,000 metric tons annually from the United States, with volumes fluctuating significantly year to year.
The U.S.-Indonesia trade relationship was further highlighted during a USDA trade mission in February 2026 led by Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Luke Lindberg. Delegates visited an Indonesian flour mill and biscuit manufacturer, and USW also hosted a baking competition with California Raisins showcasing U.S. agricultural products.
With the memorandum of understanding in place for the next five years, USW expects continued mill participation and compliance, providing opportunities to reinforce end-user confidence in U.S. wheat performance beyond price. At the 1 million metric ton annual commitment level, U.S. farmers are positioned to supply more than 10% of Indonesia’s expanding wheat food sector.
Source: U.S. Wheat Associates, "SUCCESS STORY: Indonesia Millers Commit to Purchasing U.S. Wheat, Backed by Technical Assistance from U.S. Wheat Associates"