Recent reports have indicated that China went a third straight month without importing U.S. soybeans, instead leaning heavily on South American supplies. Customs data shows Brazil continued to dominate shipments (5.85 tons, +48.9%), while imports from Argentina surged sharply compared with last year (1.78 tons, +634%). Even as overall soybean imports remained strong, U.S. beans were notably absent from the arrival data.

China’s preference for Brazilian and Argentine soybeans continues to add pressure to U.S. prices and volumes, especially given China’s role as the world’s largest buyer. While recent U.S. sales suggest shipments could resume in the near future, the gap in actual arrivals brings continued uncertainty for soybean growers.

Read more on the latest soybean import trends.