Sorghum option as EU passes on genetically modified grain
Fifth in importance among the world’s cereals — after wheat, rice, maize and barley — sorghum is the most important cereal in arid regions, and a staple foodstuff in the tropics of Asia and Africa.
But it is from the US that it is now flooding into Europe. In the first three weeks of September, 646,000 tonnes of US sorghum was traded to Europe.
With EU feed grain stocks at unusually low levels, Europe’s livestock feeders and food processors have to import more ingredients. And the EU’s reluctance to purchase genetically modified grain has made US sorghum the primary alternative.
The largest buyer is France, but Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain are also purchasing sorghum, mainly for livestock feeding until Brazil and Argentina’s grain crop is harvested next spring.
“We are confronted with a strong and constant increase in cereals demand on global markets,” said Portugal’s Minister Jaime Silva, chairing last week’s EU Council of Agriculture Ministers.
As part of the reform of the Common Agriculture Policy after 2013, he raised the possibility of setting up “strategic stocks” of cereals on the lines of existing oil reserves, in order to cope with potential disruption in supply.
Spanish farm minister Elena Espinosa said the EU could suspend import duties, which would encourage foreign supplies, while also freezing export aid so that EU grain stays in Europe.
Last week’s decision to scrap grain setaside is expected to boost EU production by at least 10 million tonnes, and Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel will shortly propose a suspension of import duties.
She said the suspension won’t make a huge difference.
The US Department of Agriculture has estimated the EU will need to import six million tons of maize and one million tons of sorghum.
However, traders here in Europe expect imports of three million tonnes of sorghum.
About five million tonnes of old-harvest maize from Brazil may be purchased, and several million tonnes from the Ukraine, if that country lifts its export restriction after upcoming elections.
