Brazilian sorghum begins to attract Chinese demand

The volume represents only a fraction of the millions of tonnes of sorghum Brazil could ship to China this year. If confirmed, such exports would set a record for Brazilian sorghum shipments. Sources told Valor that Brazil could export between 2 million and 3 million tonnes of the product to China this year, much of which has already been sold by several trading companies operating in the country.

In addition to Cofco, Amaggi has sold about 270,000 tonnes of sorghum for shipment to Chinese ports in August and September. Amaggi confirmed the sale when contacted but declined to comment on the volume. Bunge has also sold sorghum to Chinese buyers, according to another source, who said other commodity companies have also been active in marketing the product.

The recent surge in sorghum deals was made possible by a phytosanitary protocol for Brazilian sorghum exports to China signed by the two countries in November 2024. It was not until November 2025, however, that Beijing authorized the first Brazilian facilities to export to the Chinese market, including facilities in the states of Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, Rondônia, and Bahia.

“The opening of the Chinese market creates new opportunities for Brazilian sorghum, expanding marketing options for producers and connecting domestic production to an important consumer market,” Luiz Noto, CEO of Cofco’s grains and oilseeds division in Brazil, said in a statement.

Brazilian sorghum production is estimated at 7.36 million tonnes in the 2025/26 crop, up 20.7% from the previous season, according to the National Supply Company (Conab). Of the total, 48% is produced in the Central-West region, mainly in Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul.

Brazil’s sorghum exports had previously been erratic, ranging from just over 33,000 tonnes in 2023 to 179,900 tonnes in 2024 before plunging to about 2,000 tonnes last year, according to data from the Ministry of Development, Industry, Foreign Trade, and Services (MDIC).

If market participants’ estimates for sorghum exports to China are confirmed, the volume will set a record and represent a sharp increase from historical shipment levels. Brazil has never exported more than 302,400 tonnes of sorghum in a single year, according to MDIC data.

China is a major consumer of sorghum, which is used both for animal feed and to make baijiu, a traditional Chinese alcoholic beverage. When domestic corn supplies are tight or sorghum becomes more competitive, China increases sorghum imports to supplement feed supplies.