China Makes First Sorghum Purchase Since Trade War Began
China has made a purchase of U.S. sorghum for the first time since August of last year, giving rise to hope that more purchases will follow amid negotiations between the two countries. Tight domestic supplies are being cited by the former chairman of the trade group National Sorghum Producers as being the driver behind the purchase.
The order, which totaled 65,000 tons, reflected the largest Chinese purchase of U.S. sorghum since July 2018, when Beijing imposed a 25 percent tariff on U.S.-sourced grains. The order also came at the same time that Chinese state-owned companies bought a minimum of 500,000 tons of soybeans.
Although a good sign, it still pales in comparison to 2017, when Chinese orders accounted for 80 percent of all U.S. sorghum exports, and were valued at $839 million - most of which was shipped after the fall harvest.
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