The Latest Sign of a U.S.-China Trade Truce: Corn

(Bloomberg) -- Chinese officials are preparing to restart purchases of American corn as soon as January, another sign that the Asian nation is working on a lasting detente with the U.S.

China may buy at least 3 million metric tons of U.S. corn, according to people familiar with the discussions, who declined to be identified as the information is confidential. The imports are likely to start as early as January, following the American soybean purchases, they said.

The government is also considering various options for how to handle the 25 percent retaliatory tariffs on American corn that China adopted in July, the people said. Current ideas include:

• Allowing the U.S. commodity to be purchased as part of a 7.2 million ton annual corn import quota that is only subject to a lower levy
• Reimbursing the 25 percent tariff to buyers purchasing outside the quota
• Waiting to purchase until after the 25 percent tariffs are removed

Click here for more: China’s Soy Buy Could Pave Way for Expanded U.S. Corn Imports

The plan to resume imports follows reports China began significant purchases of American soybeans this week after President Xi Jinping and his American counterpart Donald Trump agreed on a 90-day truce to work toward a trade deal earlier this month. China’s retaliatory tariffs struck at Trump’s heartland voters, who saw agriculture shipments to the world’s biggest buyer of commodities plunge, stockpiles accrue across the U.S., and futures drop.

China effectively suspended corn purchases from the world’s biggest producer in July by imposing the 25 percent tariff as the two nations escalated their trade war. Purchases within the annual corn import quota would allow buyers to pay just a 1 percent tariff, while those outside the quota are subject to a 65 percent duty.

Shipments of American grain will help replenish China’s depleted reserves and cover a widening domestic shortfall, according to analysts. Purchases for state reserves would allow importers to avoid the duty and benefit from cheaper U.S. produce, just as China’s domestic need for animal feed, starch and sweeteners grows apace, the analysts said.

©2018 Bloomberg L.P.