A US trade team is in Taipei to boost US farm exports even as American farmers reel from China’s decision not to buy their soybeans.
The Under-Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, Luke Lindberg is leading a delegation of 39 business, trade and state representatives, to boost US farm exports.
“On a per capita basis, Taiwan punches above its weight in purchasing American agriculture but we are here to showcase more of our brands and food products,” Lindberg was quoted in a US Foreign Agricultural Service statement.
These exports include soybeans, corn, wheat, dairy, beef, fresh fruit and tree nuts.
“We aim to lock in recent commitments that Taiwan made to American producers and win new sales that will support family farms back home,” Lindberg says.
Taiwan has already said it will boost increase purchases of US farm produce by 30% over four years.
China regards Taiwan as a breakaway province and has been isolating it diplomatically amid global fears that Beijing will eventually take military action against it.
The US says Taiwan is their eighth-largest farm export market, worth $3.8 (A$5.76) billion last year while the US is the island state’s largest food supplier.
The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently ran trade trips to Hong Kong, Thailand, Peru, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic and expected to make $64 (A$96.4) million in revenue over 12 months.
The USDA is also eyeing trips to Mexico (November), Japan (October) and Indonesia (February 2026) to secure more deals.
CHINA SOYBEANS TURMOIL
Social and mainstream media reports say that only China has not placed any order for the US autumn soybean harvest which has upset US farmers who are warning of potential bankruptcies.
USA Today reports that were no soybean exports to China from June-August, depressing the US cash price.
China normally buys more than half of US soybean exports, worth $12.6 (A$19) billion in 2024, but orders fell from almost 985 million bushels in 2024 to 218 million bushels this year to June with no future orders in place.
US exports have been hit by a retaliatory tariffs of 34% from China even as Beijing secured a soybean deal with Argentina, international news agency Reuters reports.
While the US announced a $20 (A$30) billion deal for Argentina, at the same time the South American country dropped its soybean export tax and sold 20 shiploads of the crop to China, which also secured a deal with Brazil.
Reuters reports that China is willing to buy US soybeans if the Trump government removes its tariffs, which totals up to 145%, and filed a complaint with the World Trade Organisation.
EARLIER NEWS: Aussie farmers ‘let down’ by new US tariff
