Sorghum stocks are in short supply, but the United States is growing them on a large scale and eventually exporting them to China
Background: In Chinese history, sorghum is a dynamic crop, and its status is very high. Since ancient times, the food of the Chinese has been sorghum, which is an important food. However, due to the change of time, the cultivation of sorghum in our country is in a difficult situation and challenge. China is shrinking its grain plantings, while the United States is massively expanding its acreage and exporting large quantities of grain to China. This contrast raises questions and pondering: Why is it that China has stopped producing sorghum, but the United States is interested in it? This article analyzes the status and causes of sorghum cultivation in China and the United States, and guides you into this controversial topic.
The glorious history of Chinese sorghum.
As the "star crop" of China's traditional farming culture, it has played an important role in China's long history. Since the Ming Dynasty, it has been widely cultivated in China due to its characteristics of drought resistance, drought resistance, and drought resistance. Especially in the 50-80s, as an important food crop in the northeast of our country, it was not only used for food, but also for winemaking, and also for raising livestock. At that time, sorghum production accounted for about 25% of the total output and was therefore an essential crop. Later, due to the changes of the times and the changes in eating habits, sorghum has gradually faded out of people's sight in China.
In the eyes of farmers, factors such as taste and nutrition are a major factor in their withdrawal. The taste of sorghum is somewhat rough and has a hint of bitterness, which is completely different from the taste of grains such as wheat and rice. Due to the improvement of China's social living conditions and the requirements for food quality, the competitiveness of sorghum products in the market is declining day by day. In addition, due to the instability of the sorghum itself, it has led to the gradual disappearance of the sorghum. Due to the low resistance to pathogens, major diseases such as powdery mildew have appeared in its production. In sorghum producing areas, the incidence of powdery mildew can be as high as 70%, seriously affecting farmers' production. On the contrary, today's grain production has increased significantly and the ability to resist diseases has been significantly improved, so it is natural that sorghum will be gradually eliminated.
Sorghum cultivation in the United States.
In contrast to China's declining sorghum, the United States is cultivating sorghum. The United States, the world's second-largest producer of sorghum and the world's largest exporter of sorghum, has made great strides in the cultivation of sorghum. So why do Americans cultivate sorghum on a large scale?
Whether geographically or economically, the United States has a natural condition, and that is to cultivate sorghum. The western United States is a poor, dry, saline soil that is not suitable for a wide range of conventional crops such as wheat and corn, but sorghum is well suited to such conditions. On this basis, the development of sorghum can maximize the use of "idle" cultivated land, thus achieving the purpose of improving the utilization rate of cultivated land and promoting the increase of grain production. In addition, due to the high degree of agricultural mechanization in the United States, the cultivation and harvesting of sorghum are more effective and faster, reducing labor input, and improving the yield and quality of agricultural products.
Most of the sorghum produced in the United States is not only used for domestic consumption, but also exported to China. For example, in 2022, China's total imports of sorghum amounted to 9535,500 metric tons, an increase of 165 over the same period last year6%。This means that China still needs a lot of sorghum. By producing sorghum, the United States can not only generate economic benefits, but also reduce its dependence on other energy sources such as oil, thereby enhancing its energy security and sustainable development capabilities. Sorghum is an important food crop, which can be used as food and can be used to produce various alcohol products, with very broad uses and broad market prospects.
Compare sorghum cultivation in China with that in the United States.
From the perspective of the development status of China and the United States, there are both commonalities and differences in the cultivation of sorghum in various countries. China was once the world's largest producer of sorghum, but in recent years, due to the improvement of people's living conditions, sorghum has disappeared from China's dominant food market and has been replaced by high-quality, high-quality, and high-quality grains. The United States, on the other hand, took advantage of its own geographical and economic conditions to develop sorghum cultivation, which led to its rapid growth in the world and gradually developed into the world's leading sorghum producer and exporter. With the help of sorghum, the United States can not only make up for the shortcomings of the Western continent, but also improve its standing in the world by exporting to other places like China.
Conclusion: In both China and the United States, China is represented by sorghum and has taken on the important task of promoting China's agricultural and economic development. Due to factors such as taste and yield, China has gradually reduced its planting area, and the United States, with its abundant resources and technology, has developed sorghum cultivation, making it a sorghum country in the world. In the future, due to the progress of science and technology and the change of social needs, its role and role in agricultural production will also change, so that it can regain its vitality and make greater contributions to ensuring national food safety and national economic development.