December 18, 2020

Brazil looks to boost corn exports to China

Abramilho, a Brazilian corn producers association, said Brazil is in talks with China to increase corn exports to the latter, but not at this time because of inter-harvest supply shortages, Reuters reported.

In 2019, Brazil exported 68,500 tonnes of corn to China from its total global exports of 42.7 million tonnes, based on Brazilian government data. This is much smaller when compared to soy, where 80% of Brazil's total soy exports or 58 million tonnes of the oilseed was exported to China.

Cesario Ramalho, the Abramilho president, said the association's officials held a discussion with Chinese importers and authorities. Tereza Cristina Dias, Brazilian agriculture minister, told Chinese representatives that her ministry was committed to taking measures that will increase Brazil's corn exports to China.

Ramalho said there is no rush to sell as there is insufficient corn supply, adding that even though there is demand from China, Brazil already exports to Japan, Iran, and the European Union.

Abramilho said it is easy to introduce measures to facilitate corn trade with China. The association said China is concerned about a type of weed, but it can be destroyed with herbicides.

The Brazilian government projects is 102 million tonnes of corn for the current planting season.

- Reuters