China has not purchased a single batch of US soybeans ahead of export season

that has complicated trade since Donald Trump’s return to the presidency. U.S. farmers warn that this impasse threatens them with financial ruin, but U.S. government data suggests Chinese buyers remain calm. In March, China imposed retaliatory tariffs on U.S. soybeans, reducing their competitiveness. The U.S. harvest typically begins in September, marking the transition from one export season to the next. Chinese oilseed processing plants, which produce animal feed, usually book orders in advance to secure lower prices and meet their needs for the first weeks or months of the agricultural year. China Has Not Increased Soybean Purchases from the US Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows no deliveries to China for the 2025–2026 period. This delay appears tied to trade negotiations extended until November 10, as Beijing is unwilling to concede a key bargaining chip. While Chinese commodity purchases are just one aspect of the talks, soybeans played a significant role ...