October 18, 2010

China to purchase more US corn in the future

A recent tour of China by the US Grains Council has determined that China would have to purchase as much as two million tonnes of corn from the US in 2011.

Phil Thornton, Project Director for the Illinois Corn Growers Association, said a large number of that grain could come from the Illinois state.

Thornton said that the rail infrastructure and the ability to transport grains via the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers were the most important factors. It would make it easier to transport corn out to the western part of US before it gets sent to China.

"China has a good corn crop going on this year," Thornton said. "But, with an increase in livestock production in China, as well as an economic growth in China, they soon will be feeding more meat. We foresee a continuation of China purchasing corn from the US for years to come," he said.