China has achieved its goal of buying 12 million tons of soybeans from United States. This deal is part of a trade agreement aims to reduce tensions between both countries and to build good business and political relations.
For a long time, China had not been buying American soybeans because of trade problems. American farmers faced low sales and strong competition from other countries like Brazil and Argentina. But after this trade deal, Chinese companies started ordering large amounts of soybeans from the United States again.
The 12 million tons that China agreed to buy are for shipment between December and May. Most of these shipments will head to China’s ports for storage and later use. The state storage company Sinograin and state trader COFCO were the main buyers of the U.S. soybeans under this deal.
U.S. officials had said China would reach this purchase target by the end of February 2026. Traders told reporters that China met the target after traders left U.S. Gulf Coast ports and began using Chinese ports.
Before this agreement, China had gone four months in a row without buying U.S. soybeans because of the trade war. That drop hurt U.S. farmers who depend on China as one of their biggest export markets.
Now that the 12 million ton goal is reached, some people see this as a step toward regular trade, and it may help boost confidence among soybean traders and exporters. There is also a bigger plan for China to buy 25 million tons of U.S. soybeans every year through 2028 as part of the larger trade agreement.
Even with this deal, some experts say this does not mean China will shift completely back to being a large buyer of U.S. soybeans every year. China has also been buying record amounts of soybeans from South America, especially from Brazil and Argentina, due to cheaper prices and strong suppliers.
In 2025, China imported a huge amount of soybeans almost 112 million tons, a strong increase as compared to last year. Most of that increase was happened by purchases from South American countries, which helped to fulfill supply needs during that time when U.S. sales were lower.
China’s move shows how global soybean trade can be affected by political and economic decisions. US farmers and exporters are watching closely to see that future years bring bigger and more stable markets for American soybeans or not.
For now, achieving the 12 million ton purchase target is seen as a positive sign after a long time of slow sales to China. Farmers in the United States hope that continued trade deals and agreements will support their sales and help them to compete with South American producers in the coming years.