China’s customs authority finalized an agreement to allow imports of Brazilian corn, the Ministry of Commerce said last week, lining up an alternative to U.S. corn to replace imports from Ukraine.
Similar agreements covering imports of soy protein and soymeal from Brazil are expected to be concluded during talks next month, an official involved in the negotiations told Reuters, requesting anonymity.
No timeline set
There is no set timeline on when China would allow imports of Brazilian corn into the country.
"The General Administration of Customs of China and the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture signed the Protocol on Phytosanitary Requirements for exporting Brazilian corn to China (revised edition)," China's Ministry of Commerce said in a release.
"This protocol has been signed by the General Administration of Customs of China, but it has to be approved by China's Ministry of Agriculture. There are some intrinsic differences between the allowable GMO events into China and those that are present in Brazilian corn, so no imports can happen yet," a market source said.
Disrupted global trade
Almost all of China’s corn imports currently come from the U.S. and Ukraine. But Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has disrupted crop shipments from the Black Sea and shifted global trading, with importers and food companies scrambling to find other suppliers.
China's import of feed grains, especially corn, has risen over the last two years.
According to the Reuters report, Beijing’s deal with Brazil may reduce U.S. exports to China. China could also emerge as a rival to buyers from the European Union seeking imports of corn from Brazil.
