Today (Jan. 16), the market for grains in China is shown as follows:

Domestic corn price stays stable with some rises today. The price prevails at 1,880-2,010 yuan/tonne among deep-processing enterprises in Shandong and individual price rises by 10 yuan/tonne from yesterday. At Jinzhou port, Liaoning, the purchasing price of new corn in 2019 (moisture 14.5% and test weight 690-710g/L) is 1,810-1,825 yuan/tonne and the FOB price is 1,860-1,875 yuan/tonne the same as yesterday. At Bayuquan port, new corn in 2019 is traded at 1,805-1,810 yuan/tonne (test weight 690-700 g/L) flat from yesterday. At Shekou port, Guangdong, the second-class corn price is raised to 1,970 yuan/tonne and actually negotiable. And it is expected to be knocked down at 1,960 yuan/tonne, up by 10-20 yuan/tonne from yesterday.

For the upcoming Spring Festival, farmers usually discontinue corn sale after the Little New Year. Due to the tail-raising prices in end of the year, some farmers in Northeast China are reluctant to sell corn, and traders in some regions have stopped the purchase. Besides, the stockpiling of enterprises is coming to an end, so the trading between buyers and sellers also gradually turns light. Today, corn prices are stable. Consequently, it is expected that corn market will see no big change and mainly keep steady with small adjustments before Spring Festival. Beyond that, U.S. and China have officially signed the phase one trade deal in U.S. last night. But only total amount of U.S. agricultural products purchases would be made public, while the amount of specific categories would be confidential. If so, it is predicted to have less impact on the market.

Domestic sorghum prices are stable today, of which dried sorghum is priced at 2,400-2,500 yuan/tonne nationwide. (In Heilongjiang, dried sorghum 2,200 in Qiqihar and traded at 2,400 yuan in Heihe. In Inner Mongolia, raw sorghum 2,340 yuan/tonne in Hinggan League and dried sorghum 2,500 yuan/tonne in Chifeng. In Jilin Province, dried sorghum 2,540 yuan/tonne in Songyuan and 2,400 yuan/tonne in Baicheng, raw sorghum 2,340 yuan/tonne in Qian’an, and raw sorghum 2,360 yuan/tonne in Taonan. In Shanxi, dried sorghum 2,600 yuan/tonne in Jinzhong. In Liaoning, dried sorghum 2,500 yuan/tonne in Jianping.) Prices for new sorghum keep firm at present, which can be contributed to its smaller planting acreage, lower quality and production due to the frost coming earlier than usual and less surplus sorghum than last year in many regions. But as some southern distilleries have broken up for the Spring Festival, so the weak demand is also weighing down the prices. Overall, short-term prices are likely to keep steady with narrow fluctuations. 

Imported sorghum prices steady today at 2,200-2,400 yuan/tonne at domestic ports. (Tianjin port: US raw sorghum 2,030 and dried sorghum 2,150 yuan/tonne; Nantong port: US raw sorghum 2,050-2,090 yuan/tonne; Guangdong port: US raw sorghum 2,100 yuan/tonne. Suqian: US sorghum 2,440 yuan/tonne.) In terms of prices, sorghum has lost a competitive advantage over corn, which in turn weighs down imported sorghum prices. Short-term sorghum price is predicted to keep steady with a slight decline. 

Imported barley prices are flat today, of which Australian raw barley is 2,000-2,100 yuan/tonne at domestic ports. (Nantong port: Canadian raw barley for feed 1,850-1,860 yuan/tonne, French barley 1,750-1,760 and Ukrainian raw barley 1,720; Guangdong port: Ukrainian barley 1,830 yuan/tonne; Alataw Pass: Kazakhstan barley at 1,475 yuan/tonne.) In terms of prices, barley has lost a competitive advantage over corn. And the demand from hog breeding is also small due to the African swine fever, which is a curb on the spot market. And growing port supply is also weighing down the market. But importers have a strong intention to prop up prices due to low stocks in hand and stubbornly high import cost from Australia. Short-term prices are predicted to keep steady with narrow fluctuations.