LUBBOCK, TEXAS, US — China purchased a record amount of 32 million bushels of US sorghum in the first week of August, according to a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) report.

“US sorghum farmers should be encouraged by these continued sales to China,” said Tim Lust, chief executive officer of the National Sorghum Producers and Sorghum Checkoff. “We are making improvements to our crop not only from a yield and technology standpoint, but also through quality measures, which are translating directly to international buyers and noticeably improved basis numbers across the country.”

Sorghum sales for the current market year totaled 282,386 tonnes along with 527,500 tonnes for the coming 2020-21 marketing year. All totaled, sorghum sales for the week were 809,886 tonnes, or about 32 million bushels, the USDA said.

“These sales commitments are profound, and like in any other high demand situation, we expect to see basis increases enhance sorghum acres next year,” said Florentino Lopez, executive director of Sorghum Checkoff. “The US Grains Council and Sorghum Checkoff remain fully engaged with Chinese buyers to help promote US sorghum and provide technical information to leverage future sales while continuing to build future markets in Vietnam, Kenya, India and domestically, as well.”

Recent record US grain purchases have been popping up over the last few weeks as China attempts to fulfill the phase one trade deal between the two countries.

On July 29, China purchased a record 1.937 million tonnes of US corn and the country continues to increase its US soybean imports.