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Sorghum producers ‘deeply disappointed’ in China’s move

The National Sorghum Producers organization says it’s “deeply disappointed” in China’s decision to place a nearly 179 percent duty on U.S. sorghum imports.

Sorghum Producers’ vice-chair Dan Atkisson of Stockton, Kansas says there is no validity to China’s claims that U.S. sorghum has been “dumped” into China. He thinks it’s part of a broader trade fight in which U.S. sorghum farmers “are the victim, not the cause”.

“I think that sorghum was definitely the tip of the spear when it comes to some trade tensions,” Atkisson says. “It’s hard to believe, you know, being a sorghum producer in the United States, that we’re being used as leverage against the government.”

Atkisson says the move effectively “kills” sorghum exports to China, which was buying about 60 percent of the U.S. crop. But he says all is not lost.

“We’re looking for export avenues, but also we’re looking more domestically,” he says. “Our ethanol industry will step up and buy bushels and use U.S. sorghum there. So just because China dropped out of the market doesn’t mean there’s nobody that’s in demand for sorghum.”

Atkisson says China’s sorghum duties will likely end up as a WTO case.

AUDIO: Dan Atkisson