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Is China Still Buying U.S. Soybeans? What USDA Data Shows in 2026

China has resumed buying U.S. soybeans, but USDA data distinguishes confirmed China-destined purchases from sales to unknown destinations and shows commercial buyers still relying on South American origins.
From TheFinanceBase Team3 min to read
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Yes. China is buying U.S. soybeans again, but the return is limited and divided by buyer type: USDA reporting identifies purchases by China and later China-destined sales, while commercial buyers have continued relying on South American supplies. The evidence does not show that every sale to an unknown destination is bound for China, or that announced sales have already shipped.

How much U.S. soy has China bought?

USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) reported on September 4, 2026, that China had purchased 5.7 million metric tons (MMT) of U.S. new-crop soybeans for marketing year (MY) 2026/27, as of August 13. That is a dated tally, not an October running total. The update is from FAS’s Office of Agricultural Affairs in Beijing; its figures and analysis are available in the China: Oilseeds and Products Update.

The same update reported 3.8 MMT sold to “Unknown Destinations.” FAS said this category can include purchases by Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs), but the reported destination does not confirm that these sales were China-bound.

Sales category What USDA reported What it establishes
China as destination 5.7 MMT of U.S. new-crop soybeans purchased for MY 2026/27 as of August 13, 2026; USDA FAS update dated September 4, 2026. Reported purchases identified as China’s.
Unknown destination 3.8 MMT of U.S. soybeans sold to unknown destinations in the same September 4 update. FAS says SOE buying is possible; the destination is not confirmed as China.

Later announcements add evidence of specific sales for China, but they are not a new cumulative tally:

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These are USDA daily export-sales announcements, not proof of completed shipments. They should be read as individual reported sales rather than added to the August 13 tally as though the figures were a fully reconciled updated total. The announcements appear on the USDA FAS homepage.

Why do Chinese buyers still source soybeans from Brazil?

China’s return to U.S. soybeans is not uniform across its buyers. FAS’s September 4 Beijing update says the current 10 percent retaliatory tariff on U.S. soybeans has led commercial buyers to rely on South American origins. It also reports that Brazil sent record volumes to China from June through August 2026. The update does not provide enough information to calculate a precise U.S.-versus-Brazil market-share comparison.

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Buyer or sales channel What the cited USDA reporting says Qualification
Chinese state-owned enterprises FAS says sales assigned to unknown destinations can indicate SOE purchases; its annual report also describes China resuming purchases after the October 2025 Busan meeting. Unknown-destination sales are not confirmed as China-bound.
Commercial buyers FAS attributes continued reliance on South American origins to the 10 percent retaliatory tariff on U.S. soybeans. The report does not quantify private commercial buying or provide origin market shares.

For historical context, a separate FAS annual report said that by February 26, 2026, China had purchased or shipped 10.8 MMT toward a 12 MMT commitment. The same report cautions that unknown-destination sales are not confirmed to be China-bound. This earlier commitment-period figure is distinct from the MY 2026/27 tally. See the FAS China: Oilseeds and Products Annual.

How large is China’s soybean demand?

The September 4, 2026 FAS Beijing attaché report forecast China’s MY 2026/27 soybean imports at 108 MMT. This is an attaché forecast, not official USDA data, and it is not a forecast of imports from the United States alone. It provides demand context, but does not establish what share China will buy from any one origin.

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How to track changes in China’s U.S. soybean purchases

USDA export sales are reported weekly, so the dated figures above can change with later reports. To follow the numbers, use the FAS databases and applications and the FAS soybeans commodity page. Check the report date, marketing year, named destination, and whether a figure describes a sale or a completed shipment before comparing totals.

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