17 December 2001

Major U.S. Grain Shipment Headed to Afghanistan

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is dispatching two ships from West coast ports of the United States to Afghanistan carrying a combined total of 115,000 metric tons of bulk, soft white wheat, according to a December 17 USAID press release.

"This is the largest combined shipment of food aid from the U.S. to the Afghan people in recent memory," said Bear McConnell, director of USAID's Central Asia Task Force. "These shipments of food aid will help feed over 7 million hungry Afghans for a month, and will save the lives of many people who are dangerously malnourished."

The cost of the wheat and its transport amounts to almost $23 million. The United States has provided more than $370 million in aid to Afghanistan since last year.

Following is the text of the USAID press release:

Portland, Oregon and Kalama, Washington -- Two ships, carrying a combined total of 115,000 metric tons of U.S. wheat to Central Asia, are being loaded at separate ports on the Colombia River, one in Oregon and one in Washington. The loading of the ships is scheduled to be completed in the next few days and the ships are expected to depart for the 10,000 mile, month-long journey to Central Asia before Christmas.

Bear McConnell, Director for the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) Central Asia Task Force, was in Portland and Kalama today reviewing the operation.

The tanker docked in Kalama, Washington, the M/V Sag River, is slated to carry 60,000 metric tons of bulk, soft white wheat. On the other side of the river, in Portland, Oregon, a ship called the Monte Pelmo will carry 55,000 metric tons of bulk, soft white wheat.

"This is the largest combined shipment of food aid from the U.S. to the Afghan people in recent memory," McConnell said. "These shipments of food aid will help feed over 7 million hungry Afghans for a month, and will save the lives of many people who are dangerously malnourished." McConnell said.

The wheat, which was purchased by USAID and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will be delivered to Karachi, Pakistan. A large majority of the wheat, 105,000 metric tons will be sent to Afghanistan, and the remaining 10,000 metric tons will be sent to Pakistan. The total cost of the freight and commodities is nearly $22.8 million.

"Shipments of American farm products achieve the dual goals of helping the needy and aiding our producers," U.S. Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) said. "While we are at war overseas and have low commodity prices at home, this purchase and delivery is welcome on all sides."

In FY01, the United States supplied more than 80 percent of all food aid for vulnerable Afghans through the World Food Program, and has already provided 50 percent in FY02.

Afghanistan was the U.S. government's number one recipient of humanitarian assistance prior to September 11, and remains so today. The U.S. Agency for International Development is the U.S. government agency that has provided development and humanitarian assistance worldwide for over 40 years.