• Baked products gaining popularity in South East Asia
• Wheat specialists helping expand the use of Australian wheat in these markets
• Grain producers here learning more about Asian baking processes and the best wheat varieties to grow for Asian markets

Australian wheat is making it on to the shelves of Asian bakeries as South East Asian demand for baked goods increases.

Agriculture and Food Minister Ken Baston said the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) had hosted technical baking clinics with major millers and bakers in Indonesia and the Philippines to showcase Australian wheat.

AEGIC has conducted a series of technical baking clinics in Manila, Jakarta and Makassar. Participants included Indonesian flour millers PT Bogasari and PT Eastern Pearl Flour Mills, which are among the world’s largest.

The Western Australian-based research and innovation project aims to capitalise on the significant opportunities in the ever-expanding baking industry in South East Asia.  AEGIC experts and collaborators are working directly with major customers in Asia to demonstrate the quality and use of Australian wheat.

“It’s an interchange of information.  We’re also studying dough mixing and processing in Asia so Australian wheat breeders and growers have a better understanding of the wheat varieties which have potential for use in Asian baking,” Mr Baston said.

Fact File

• Consumption of wheat-based baked products in Asia continues to grow as Asian consumers adopt more Western-style diets
• Asian bread is typically much higher in fat and sugar than Australian bread
• The baking and milling industries in Indonesia are changing as traditional, smaller artisan craft bakeries are rapidly replaced on an industrial scale
• Australia is well placed to play a positive role in this change by understanding the requirements of these industries and providing practical solutions
• The Australian Wheat for Asian Baking project is a collaboration with BakeTran
• AEGIC is funded by the State Government and the Grains Research and Development Corporation
• AEGIC’s Perth headquarters are at the Department of Agriculture and Food WA