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Monday, August 17, 2020

China Buys Record Amount of U.S. Sorghum

The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service published data showing that the U.S. recently sold a record amount of sorghum. The sale of 32 million bushels topped the previous record week of 23 million bushels that was set in December of 2014. “U.S. sorghum farmers should be encouraged by these continued sales to China,” says National Sorghum Producers and Sorghum Checkoff CEO Tim Lust. “We are making improvements to our crop not only from a yield and technology standpoint but also through quality measures that are translating directly to international buyers and noticeably-improved basis numbers across the country.” USDA says current marketing year sales totaled more than 286,000 metric tons, with 527,500 metric tons sold for the coming 2020-2021 marketing year. The recent one-week sale of 32 million bushels totaled about nine percent of total U.S. sorghum production this year. “The sales commitments are profound, and like any other high-demand situation, we expect to see basis increases enhance sorghum acres next year,” says Sorghum Checkoff Executive Director Florentino Lopez. While they’re working to enhance sales in China, the checkoff is also continuing to build future overseas markets in Vietnam, Kenya, and India.