China Fails to Meet US Agricultural Purchase Targets

The Government of China has failed to meet a broad commitment to increase purchases of U.S. agricultural products following a May meeting between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping. While the White House announced that China agreed to buy at least $17 billion annually in U.S. farm goods through 2028, data from the United States Department of Agriculture reveals a significant shortfall.

During the first seven months of 2026, China purchased only $3.9 billion in non-soybean agricultural products. Sales of corn and sorghum have remained tepid or plummeted. Soybeans are the sole exception to this trend, with China on track to fulfill a separate 25-million-ton commitment. This progress is driven partly by tightening supplies in Brazil and orders from the state-owned China Grain Reserves Group.

China has not confirmed the $17 billion figure, characterizing the amount as indicative targets rather than a firm commitment. This discrepancy is expected to be a primary point of contention at an upcoming summit between Trump and Xi.