What is Wheat Disappearance?

What is wheat dispearance? If anyone has read any food commidity report or opened up an industry news magazine, that term often pops up.

Often mislabled and confused with other terminology, I found a great definition/explanation which comes from the book: Wheat Production, Properties and Quality by W. Bushuk and Vladimir F. Rasper. The authors describe wheat disappearance as part of utilization in wheat production, including wheat being used in food, feed for stock animals, seed and other industrial uses. Disappearance is not the same as actual consumption of the product and is an estimate. The two terms are often confused with one another. And ultimately what can’t be consumed must be stored or sold off.

The whole low-carb frenzy it seemed everyone was in several years ago made a negative impact on wheat commidities. With the advent of the new scene of whole grains and the realization that whole foods, including whole wheat and other whole grains, are actually friend not foe should bring back consumer use and demand.

Here is the latest ERS/USDA Wheat Yearbook Data for wheat supplies, disappearance, pricing, stock, production, and other selected data. The ERS/USDA stand for the Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture.

http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/Wheat/WheatYearbook.aspx

Renee Shelton.