Sorghum is a Bright Spot Amid Coronavirus Concerns
It seems now, more than ever, we are looking for the positives in an uncertain situation. COVID-19 has swiftly affected all aspects of life and I would argue one of the sectors that is hurting the most right now is agriculture. There is an unprecedented amount of uncertainty surrounding our commodity markets at the moment and it is stressing our ag sector in a way that has never been seen before.
John Duff, National Sorghum Producers Executive Vice President says “There’s a lot of things that have happened in the market since February 15th and even March 15th. We have seen significant declines in prices for cotton and really all commodities, so I think there’s a good opportunity for farmers who are looking for that low cost option to try and mitigate risk in a really really uncertain year.”
Sorghum is one of the few commodities that, at the moment, hasn’t seen a significant decrease in price. In fact, John says the implementation of the newly signed Phase One Trade Agreement with China is boosting demand for U.S. sorghum, which makes it an attractive choice for farmers in 2020.
“It’s a time to be cautious and it’s a time to prioritize, but it’s not a time to be scared. And largely, farmers are not scared. They’re going out there and doing what they do,” John says.
It can be easy to get held up by all of the uncertainty in the market, but if a producer is able to fit sorghum into their rotation, it might be the bright spot they need to get through this season.
