Purchases of 12 million tonnes for September and October reflect about half China’s demand for the period, cutting need to buy US crop
China has moved early to lock in soybean supplies from Brazil for September and October, sidelining US exporters from what is traditionally their most lucrative selling period.
The shift underscores Beijing’s growing trade reliance on South America and comes amid renewed political and commercial tensions with Washington.
According to market analysis from Brazil’s Safras & Mercado, traders reported Chinese purchases of roughly 8 million tonnes of soybeans for September and 4 million tonnes for October, about half of the country’s projected demand for the two months. All volumes are sourced from South America, with Brazil capturing the lion’s share.
The move effectively shortens the US “window” for soybean shipments to China, which typically runs from September to January before the Brazilian harvest arrives.
