U.S. sorghum armada with Cargill grain changes course at sea after China tariffs

CHICAGO – Several ships carrying cargoes of sorghum from the United States to China have changed course since Beijing slapped hefty anti-dumping deposits on U.S. imports of the grain, trade sources and a Reuters analysis of export and shipping data showed Friday.

Sorghum is a niche animal feed and a tiny slice of the billions of dollars in exports at stake in the trade dispute between the world's two largest economies, which threatens to disrupt the flow of products ranging from steel to electronics.

The pain felt by sorghum suppliers on the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans underscores how quickly the mounting trade tensions between the U.S. and China can affect the global agricultural sector, which has been reeling from low commodity prices amid a global grains glut.

Twenty ships carrying over 1.2 million tons of U.S. sorghum are on the water, according to export inspections data from the USDA's Federal Grain Inspection Service.

Of the armada, valued at more than $216 million, at least five changed course within hours of China's announcing tariffs on U.S. sorghum imports on Tuesday, Reuters shipping data showed.

The five shipments, all headed for China when they were loaded at Texas Gulf Coast export terminals owned by grain merchants Minnetonka-based Cargill Inc. or Archer Daniels Midland Co. would be liable for a hefty deposit to be paid on their value, which could make the loads unprofitable to deliver.

Beijing, which is probing U.S. imports for damage to its domestic industry, announced Tuesday that grain handlers would have to put up a deposit of nearly twice the value of the shipments.

In a statement to Reuters on Thursday, Cargill confirmed it is the exporter. The company declined to confirm what is in the ships, the final destinations or the tonnage, nor name the customers. The company also declined to confirm why the ships stopped, or if they are being redirected — but said that it does not have any responsibility for costs that may result.

Cargill executives for weeks have expressed growing concern about the trade-related tensions between the U.S. and China. In a statement earlier this month, Cargill noted that China was the second-largest buyer of U.S. food and agriculture exports. "We urge caution for both countries as there are no winners in a global trade war," Cargill said.

ADM representatives declined to comment.

The Panamanian-flagged ship N Bonanza was churning its way northeast across the Indian Ocean earlier this week, carrying more than 67,000 tons of sorghum from ADM's elevator in Corpus Christi, Texas, according to Reuters shipping data.

Eleven hours after the anti-dumping deposits were announced, the ship stopped and then slowly tracked northwest.

Hours later, the Stamford Eagle — hauling sorghum from Cargill's elevator in Houston — turned around off the western coast of Mexico.

At least two other vessels have also suddenly changed course: the Ocean Belt and Xing Xi Hai, both loaded at Cargill's terminal. It is unclear where the vessels are now heading.

For now, at least, two of the world's largest grain merchants are among those feeling the affect of the latest trade tussle with China, even if it is just a short-term issue, said Bill Densmore, senior director of corporate ratings at Fitch Ratings.

"For their overall trade businesses, this is not that substantial. But it's a warning," Densmore said. "If China really does start slapping tariffs on everything, like soybeans and corn, things could get really ugly, really fast."

Beijing's move has heaped more strain on an already tense relationship with Washington.

Indeed, the news had an immediate impact on the global grains market: Bids for cargoes of Australian sorghum, which are not subject to the higher tariffs, spiked following the announcement, traders said.

Some of the cargoes might be redirected to Southeast Asian countries, such as Vietnam and the Philippines, to feed hog and poultry plants owned by Chinese feed producers. However, those countries are small importers of sorghum. Vietnam has never imported U.S. sorghum and the Philippines imported just 19,000 tons in the 2016-17 season, according to USDA data.

China, by contrast, imported more than 5.2 million tons last season, nearly 10 times more than No. 2 importer Japan, the data showed.

Shippers may have to discount the cargoes to sell them, analysts said.

"They're not in a strong bargaining position considering they've got shipments from across the ocean that they have to sell," said economist Daniel O'Brien of Kansas State University. Kansas is the top sorghum-producing state in the United States.

"This tit for tat has to stop, and talks to find reasonable and lasting solutions must begin, for the good of U.S. agriculture and the customers we have spent decades working to win as loyal buyers," said Tom Sleight, president and CEO of the U.S. Grains Council.

Staff writer Kristen Leigh Painter contributed to this report.