More “Locked Up” Americans Found Convenience of Pasta

KANSAS CITY, MO – During the global shutdown due to coronavirus, more Americans found themselves in the kitchen preparing meals.

Not all Italian dishes are easy to prepare, but many home chefs rediscovered the convenience and taste of pasta.

For U.S. wheat producers, this helped lead to higher prices and record demand for durum wheat.

According to the Economic Research Service (ERS), the domestic industry may have a difficult time capitalizing on the opportunity due to widespread drought in key durum-producing regions of the United States.

This, combined with a 21 percent jump in durum imports, will begin to pressure prices for producers.

Researchers say they expect imports of durum grain and products to remain robust despite slowing consumer demand for pasta products, brought on by a reopening of the U.S. economy, especially in restaurants and food away from home.
(SOURCE: All Ag News)