Soya harvest
ISTANBUL
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told lawmakers Tuesday that China's announced deadline for fulfilling its pledge to purchase American soybeans had been extended from the end of the year to the end of the "growing season" because of a “discrepancy.”
The "discrepancy" is between the timeline he provided and the announcement made by the White House in a statement on Nov. 1, just after President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met.
“China will purchase at least 12 million metric tons (MMT) of U.S. soybeans during the last two months of 2025," according to a then-White House statement, which added that Beijing will “also purchase at least 25 MMT of U.S. soybeans in each of 2026, 2027, and 2028."
In response to a question about the timeline, Greer told the Senate Appropriations Committee, "We’ve heard from a couple of farmers; they want to know about that discrepancy. And it is a discrepancy.”
"It is for this growing season," he added.
The majority of soybeans in the US are planted in May and June and harvested in September and October, according to the Agriculture Department.
Trump unveiled a $12 billion aid package for farmers Monday, which included $11 billion in direct payments. The Agriculture Department also said China would receive a new shipment of American soybeans.
US farmers claimed that when China stopped buying soybeans during the height of the US-China trade war, their companies were forced to the verge of bankruptcy, according to NBC News.
China started purchasing US soybeans after Trump and Xi met in late October, with at least 10 waves of purchases in different quantities.
China has bought 2.85 million metric tons since October, according to NBC News.
