Chinese Demand for U.S. Sorghum and Australian Barley Rises Amid Domestic Corn Shortage
Chinese buyers have significantly increased their purchases of U.S. sorghum and Australian barley due to a domestic corn shortage caused by heavy rains that damaged the local harvest. Over the past three months, importers have booked approximately 45 cargoes, or at least 2.5 million metric tons, of U.S. sorghum, which is three times the amount shipped in all of 2025. Additionally, Chinese buyers have been importing one million tons of Australian barley monthly since December, doubling last year's monthly volumes. The surge in imports is driven by high domestic corn prices and competitive pricing from Australia. The U.S. Texas Gulf Coast reported a 12.6% increase in the FOB sorghum price, reaching $228.30 per ton by early February. 
