China is a big buyer of U.S. soybeans - in fact the country bought $9 billion worth of the oilseed in 2009. But future sales could be in jeopardy because of differences in grading standards between the two countries. According to wire service reports, U.S. and Chinese officials have agreed to work together to iron out those differences.
USDA will send a team of specialists to China to work with their soybean inspectors to better align quality and grading standards between the two countries. While the Chinese have never refused a shipment of U.S. soybeans, there have been delays for shippers.
It is those shipping delays that cause problems. If container loads of U.S. soybeans are left sitting at the dock, it increases costs. That can be a competitive issue for U.S. suppliers.
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