U.S. Misses Out on Billions in China Soybean Purchases

US farmers are losing billions of dollars in soybean sales to China halfway through their peak marketing season, as stalled trade talks halt exports and South American suppliers fill the gap, Ellen Cao, Naveen Thukral and Karl Plume reported for Reuters.

By this time last year, Chinese buyers had secured 12–13 million tons of US soybeans for September–November shipments.

Chinese importers have booked about 7.4 million metric tons of mainly South American soybeans for October, covering 95% of the country’s projected demand for the month, plus another 1 million tons for November, roughly 15% of expected imports, according to two Asia-based traders.

By this time last year, Chinese buyers had secured 12–13 million tons of US soybeans for September–November shipments, said one trader based in Singapore.

The US typically ships most of its soybeans to China between September and January, before Brazil’s harvest enters the market.

But Chinese buyers have not booked any US cargo for the new crop year, traders tracking shipments said. The US sold 22.9 million tons of soybeans to China in the marketing year through August 2025, compared with $12.8 billion in purchases in 2024.

“If you look at the way things are, we think it is going to be South American beans through the end of the year,” the Singapore trader said.