Sorghum imports to Mexico would rise 7%; its use for food grows

Sorghum imports to Mexico in the 2020/2021 marketing year would stand at 750,000 tons, 7% more year-on-year, according to estimates from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

In a basic way, this is explained by an expected increase in the demand for feed grains.

The USDA also expects the United States to continue supplying virtually all of these sorghum imports to Mexico due to the access advantages of the Treaty between Mexico, the United States, and Canada (T-MEC).

Sorghum comes in two types, forages and cereals, and is considered one of the essential crops in the world.

According to the S&W Seed Company, sorghum has traditionally been used for livestock feed as well as ethanol, but it is gaining popularity in food products in the United States due to its gluten-free characteristics as well as its antioxidant properties, high in protein, low in fat, high in fiber and gluten free.

Consequently, grain sorghum is becoming a desired substitute for wheat, rye and barley.

Additionally, grain sorghum is increasingly used by the pet food industry for its nutritional benefits and increased digestibility.

Sorghum imports

Mexican sorghum production for the 2020/2021 marketing years (October-September) is forecast to remain virtually unchanged at 4.5 million tons that should be grown on 1.35 billion hectares, a harvested area similar to that of recent years. two years.

This production assumes normal climatic conditions (that is, adequate humidity levels).

As in the case of corn, the lack of government support for medium and large sorghum producers is the main factor that discourages an increase in sorghum planting area and limits the use of inputs (i.e. fertilizers, pesticides herbicides, etc.).

According to the USDA, this new approach has generated frustration among medium and large sorghum producers, who recently held protests in Tamaulipas against the lack of support for commercial agriculture.

Another factor preventing an increase in the sorghum area is the threat of new outbreaks of the sugarcane aphid (SCA).

Although private and official sources claimed that the plague had been partially mitigated or controlled, they also acknowledged that SCA remains a serious problem in some states.

Sorghum imports to Mexico were for 596,000 tons in the 018-2019 cycle.