Brazil exports sorghum to China

Brazil is now exporting sorghum to China, as its production accelerates, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). This marks a significant development for Brazil's agricultural sector and highlights its growing role in global grain markets.

Nigeria's sorghum production outlook

Nigeria's sorghum harvest is progressing, but productivity is declining. The latest USDA data suggests Nigeria is expected to produce 7 million tons of sorghum in 2026/2027, which would be 500,000 tons more than a year earlier. This progress would allow Nigeria to regain its position as the world's second-largest producer, ahead of Brazil, whose harvest is expected to be 6.5 million tons.

Shift in global sorghum production rankings

The South American country had taken this rank from Nigeria in 2025/2026. However, these data could still be revised in the coming months. Analysts are questioning the ability of Nigeria, Africa's top producer, to keep up with Brazil, which combines increased production, industrial market development, and access to the Chinese market.

Historical context of Nigerian sorghum production

In 2017/2018, Nigeria produced 6.93 million tons of sorghum, more than three times the production of Brazil (2.1 million tons). This time seems to be over. In ten years, Brazil's production has more than tripled, driven in particular by a favorable agricultural calendar.

Brazil's agricultural calendar advantage

In Brazil, sorghum is generally cultivated after the soybean harvest, allowing the use of a second season, especially when the soybean harvest is too late to sow corn under good conditions. Its resistance to water stress and its adaptation to less fertile soils make it an interesting option for producers facing a shortened cultivation window.

Cost advantages of Brazilian sorghum

According to the USDA, sorghum is sold in Brazil at a price equivalent to 80 to 85% of that of corn, but its production costs are 20 to 30% lower than those of second-season corn. This is further compounded by renewed interest in the grain in China, where sorghum can replace corn in animal feed when its price is more advantageous.

Chinese market opportunities for sorghum

To reduce costs for farmers, whose margins are under pressure, feed manufacturers are turning to the most competitive cereals. This situation in the animal industry, combined with import needs related to the production of traditional alcohol baijiu, opens up new markets for sorghum exporters, particularly Brazilian ones.

Brazil's exports to China

After the signing of a phytosanitary protocol in November 2024, followed by the approval of the first Brazilian establishments by Beijing in November 2025, sorghum exports to China have increased in the second half of 2026. According to data from the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture cited by Valor, Chinese buyers accounted for 196,050 tons of the exported volumes in August.

Logistics of Brazilian sorghum exports

In the same month, the ship Guo Yuan 26 departed from the Brazilian port of Santos with approximately 69,000 tons of sorghum destined for COFCO International, the public Chinese buyer, for delivery at the Nansha port in Guangzhou after 45 days of navigation.

Nigeria's sorghum cultivation regions

In Nigeria, sorghum cultivation is concentrated mainly in the north of the country, particularly in states such as Kano and Kebbi, which are among the main production basins, according to official data. The third most produced cereal in the country after corn and rice, sorghum supplies breweries, which substitute it for imported malted barley, mills, producers of traditional beverages, and the animal feed industry.

Nigeria's domestic use and growth

It is also directly consumed by households. However, the main growth driver for the sector remains the expansion of cultivated areas. Between 2025/2026 and 2026/2027, the USDA estimates that harvested areas should increase from 5.32 to 5.7 million hectares, while yields would remain almost unchanged, around 1.23 tons per hectare.

Brazil's higher yield efficiency

The contrast with Brazil is marked: the 6.5 million tons expected would be harvested on 2 million hectares, giving an average yield of around 3.25 tons per hectare. Observers note that the Nigerian sector will have to reform in the coming years to truly improve its competitiveness, focusing more on production intensification than on expanding cultivated areas.

Nigeria's domestic focus

For the Nigerian sector, the priority is not so much to compete with Brazil in exports as to better meet the needs of its own market. Access to adapted seeds, agronomic support from research institutions, and better public support are among the paths to explore. Another lever lies in the organization of industrial supplies.

U.S. promotion of sorghum in Nigeria

In August 2025, the U.S. Grains & BioProducts Council met with the country's main breweries to promote American sorghum. The organization indicated that industry players showed interest in the regularity of its quality and its versatility compared to local supplies.

Potential for Nigerian industry partnerships

In the face of these difficulties, partnerships between processors and producer organizations could help better define the characteristics sought by industry players, consolidate available volumes, and give more visibility to farmers.