AsianFin -- China has cleared the way for imports of Brazilian sorghum, with the first shipments potentially starting this year, said an official at Brazil’s Agriculture Ministry.

Eduardo Porto Magalhaes, coordinator for international phytosanitary inspection and certification at the ministry, said China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) confirmed that Brazilian sorghum is now eligible for shipment.

The move opens a new market for Brazil while giving China an alternative supplier at a time when U.S. sorghum exports to the world’s largest buyer have slumped.