Today (Aug 5), the market for grains in China is shown as follows:

Corn:

Corn prices mainly keep steady with a little adjustment in China, and the average price is 2,315 CNY/tonne nationwide, flat from yesterday. The price among deep-processing enterprises in Shandong prevails at 2,470-2,600 CNY/tonne with a slight change of 6-30 CNY/tonne compared with yesterday. At Jinzhou port, Liaoning, the purchasing price of corn remains flat at 2,300-2,310 CNY/tonne (moisture 14.5% and volume weight 700 g/L) and 2,310-2,320 CNY/tonne (moisture 14.5% and volume weight 720-730 g/L), respectively. At Bayuquan port, corn is priced at 2,310 CNY/tonne (volume weight 700 g/L) and 2,330 CNY/tonne (volume weight 720 g/L), respectively. At Shekou port, Guangdong, the offer for Grade-II corn remains at 2,450-2,470 CNY/tonne, a decline of 10 CNY/tonne yesterday.

Corn arrival in Shandong also has picked up from low levels in recent days. The price stops rising in Shandong among most of deep-processing enterprises and even falls back in several businesses. Nevertheless, as the price spread between corn and wheat has shrunk gradually with corn price climbing up, some feed plants has adjusted the formula and replaced corn with wheat (with a proportion of 10%-30%). In recent two days, corn price may be range-bound, and participants can take notice about the auction this week. Buyers are suggested to keep eyes on the situation and the ex-warehouse of corn, which could guide the market’s next move.

Sorghum:

Domestic sorghum prices are stable today, of which dried sorghum prices prevail at around 2,800-2,840 CNY/tonne. Domestic sorghum supplies are reducing and margins are growing, so that farmers and traders both tend to prop up prices. However, Chinese importers have bought relatively huge amount of sorghum, which will be at relatively low prices. Moreover, it become more difficult to stock up sorghum as the weather gets warmer and warmer, and distilleries have also suspended purchases and production entering the hottest period of summer. These together weigh down domestic sorghum market to some extent. Overall, domestic sorghum prices are predicted to maintain its stable trend.

Imported sorghum prices are unchanged in China today, as market participants are concerned that escalating U.S.-China tensions could affect future imports of sorghum. Moreover, the cost of importing sorghum is also strengthening due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, imported sorghum stocks at Guangdong ports still total 433,000 tonnes as of July 31st. And an expected rise in sorghum arrivals will probably weigh down US sorghum prices in China. Participants can focus on the development of US-China relations.

Barley:

Imported barley prices remain flat today. Starting May 19, China has begun to impose 80.5% of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs on barley originating in Australia for five years, according to announcements by China’s Ministry of Commerce on May 18th. Chinese importers now are scarcely interested in Australian grains. And as of July 31st, imported barley stocks totaled 56,000 tonnes at Guangdong ports. The relatively low stocks and the cost of import together help support barley prices. Merely, barley is in weak demand and slow shipments at present. Overall, imported barley prices are predicted to keep steady with a strengthening trend overall.

(USD $1=CNY ¥6.98)