China Drives Brazilian Sorghum Exports Past US Suppliers

China's approval of Brazilian sorghum exports has led to a surge in shipments from Brazil, marking a shift away from US suppliers. In August, six vessels loaded with a total of 407,700 tons of sorghum in Brazil, destined for China.

The trade agreement between Brazil and China was reached last year, allowing Brazilian exporters to supply the Asian market with sorghum. This approval has boosted planting in Brazil's 2025/26 season, with acreage increasing by over 30% to 2.15 million hectares, according to state crop agency Conab.

As a result of this growth, sorghum production is expected to increase about 25% to 7.6 million tons in the current season. The expansion of Brazil's grain ethanol industry, which uses sorghum as feedstock, has also contributed to this demand.