Today (Nov. 4), the market for grains in China is shown as follows:

Domestic corn price keeps increasing in some regions today. The price prevails at 1,930-2,000 yuan/tonne among deep-processing enterprises in Shandong with most rises of 10-20 yuan/tonne from last Friday. At Jinzhou port, Liaoning, the purchasing price of new corn in 2019 (moisture 14.5% and test weight over 720 g/L) is 1,860 yuan/tonne unchanged with last Friday and the FOB price is 1,910 yuan/tonne; while the purchasing price of corn (moisture below 15% and test weight 690-700 g/L) is 1,840-1,850 yuan/tonne up by 20 yuan/tonne from last Friday and exit price is 1,890-1,900 yuan/tonne. At Bayuquan port, new corn in 2019 is steadily priced at 1,820 yuan/tonne (test weight 700 g/L) and 1,840 yuan/tonne (test weight 720 g/L) both up by 10 yuan/tonne from last Friday. At Shekou port, Guangdong, the second-class corn is steadily traded at 2,000 yuan/tonne from last Friday.

The volumes of goods at Northern ports still stay at a low level, and stock at Southern ports keeps falling. Among them, stock at Guangdong port down to a record low of 260,000 tonnes. Meanwhile, it is rainy weather in Northeast China and the temperature is still high. And corn harvest is slower than previous years. Besides, farmers are reluctant to sale corn due to the unacceptable prices, and traders even have little surplus corn this year, and phased supply has intensified. At the same time, the freight is pushed up by overload in various places. In consequence, corn prices in domestic deep-processing enterprises and at ports continue rising by 10-30 yuan/tonne. Therefore, corn price is likely to maintain an upward trend before a large quantity of marketing, and buyers can keep eyes on the pace of corn selling after mid-to-late November.

Imported sorghum prices stay stable with some rises today. (U.S. sorghum: raw sorghum and dried sorghum are respectively at 2,140 yuan/tonne and 2,270 yuan/tonne at Tianjin port, and raw sorghum is 2,200 yuan in Nantong and down by 30 yuan to 2,120 yuan in Guangdong; Australian sorghum: bulk raw sorghum is 2,410 yuan/tonne and dried sorghum is 2,510 yuan/tonne in Tianjin).

Domestic sorghum prices generally increase today. In Inner Mongolia, raw sorghum is 2,100 yuan/tonne and dried sorghum is 2,240 yuan/tonne in Hinggan League; 2019 dried sorghum goes up by 120 yuan to 2,420 yuan/tonne in Chifeng; and dried sorghum is 2,300 yuan/tonne in Tongliao. In Jilin Province, dried sorghum goes up 200 yuan to 2,540 yuan/tonne in Changchun; dried sorghum with loading is higher by 100 yuan at 2,460 yuan/tonne in Songyuan; raw sorghum goes higher by 180 yuan to 2,340 yuan/tonne and dried sorghum is higher by 160 yuan at 2,460 yuan in Taonan; and dried sorghum is higher by 140 yuan at 2,340 yuan/tonne in Qian’an. In Heilongjiang Province, dried sorghum with loading goes up by 100 yuan to 2,300 yuan/tonne in Qiqihar; dried sorghum with loading is higher by 200 yuan at 2,460 yuan/tonne in Daqing. In Shanxi Province, dried sorghum goes up by 160 yuan to 2,560 yuan/tonne in Jinzhong, dried sorghum to the railway station is 2,440 yuan/tonne in Datong, and dried sorghum is higher by 80 yuan at 2,420 yuan/tonne in Shuozhou. 

Imported barley prices remain unchanged with some rises today. (Nantong port: Canadian brewing barley is not offered; Qingdao port: Canadian brewing barley is 1,880 yuan/tonne and French brewing barley is 2,030 yuan/tonne. Australian barley: bulk raw barley is 2,150 yuan/tonne in Nantong and raw barley is 2,400 yuan/tonne in Tianjin; Canadian barley: raw barley is 1,880 yuan/tonne in Nantong and not offered at Qingdao port; French barley: raw barley is not offered at Qingdao port and 1,800 yuan/tonne in Nantong; Ukrainian barley: raw barley is 1,740 yuan/tonne in Nantong and goes up 20 yuan to 1,730 yuan/tonne in Guangdong; Kazakhstan barley: raw barley is not offered at Tianjin port).

Sorghum prices are weighed down by weak demand, as its prices still cannot compete with corn prices. Barley importers have a strong intention to prop up prices due to low stocks and stubbornly high import cost from Australia. Domestic sorghum has smaller planting acreage this year, and lower quality and production due to the frost earlier than usual, so new sorghum prices also keep firm. In term of as energy feed, port sorghum and barley are unable to compete with corn. And the demand for grains is also subdued by the African swine fever, which has roiled the hog production and decimated the hog herd and sows in China. This will also curb the spot markets. Generally, port sorghum and barley markets are predicted to keep steady with some fluctuations in the short term, and port sorghum market may be buoyed again by concerns over trade disputes, so market participants can focus on the outcome of trade talks.