The surging US sorghum¹ trade with China could face a clampdown from authorities in Beijing, who are trying to reduce domestic grain inventories², US agricultural officials have warned.

美国农业部官员警告说，急剧增长的美国对华高粱贸易可能会面临试图中国当局的打压。中国当局正在努力降低国内的谷物库存。

The Chinese government had “begun to pay close attention to the rapid increase in sorghum imports, and some policy makers³ reportedly believe these imports make it harder for the government to dispose of its large corn stocks”, according to the latest China grains report from the Beijing bureau of the US Department of Agriculture.

根据美国农业部(Department of Agriculture)驻北京机构的最新中国谷物报告，中国政府已“开始密切关注高粱进口的快速增加。据报道，部分政策制定者认为，这类进口令中国政府更加难以消除其庞大的玉米库存”。

China’s sorghum imports jumped in the year to September 2014, increasing more than sixfold to 4.2m tonnes from the previous year and are forecast to double to 8.5m tonnes in the 12 months to 2015, with the bulk⁴ of the commodity coming from the US.

在截止2014年9月的一年内，中国高粱进口大幅增加，同比增长逾6倍，达到420万吨。预计到2015年9月，高粱进口量会增加一倍达到850万吨，其中大多数将来自美国。

The report from Beijing warned that the numbers could change due to stricter testing of sorghum shipments.

这一报告警告说，如果对高粱运输量使用更严格的检测方法，上述数字可能会有变化。

“Import officials have recently begun to enhance inspections⁵, and traders are voicing concern that the government may be getting ready to take more concerted action to limit imports,” it said.

该报告表示：“最近，主管进口的官员已开始加强监管，各交易商也在谈及这样的担忧：中国政府可能正准备以更加步调一致的举措限制进口。”

News of the USDA warning was first reported by Agrimoney.com.

有关美国农业部这一警告的新闻，首先是由Agrimoney.com网站报道的。

The surge in demand for sorghum comes as the Chinese government’s grain purchases under its agricultural support programme have pushed up domestic prices for corn.

对高粱需求的激增，是由于中国政府依照农业支持计划推行的谷物收购，令中国国内的玉米价格大幅提升。

Feed mills have been importing cheaper alternatives, including sorghum and barley⁶, which are also not subject to official import quotas⁷.

为此，中国饲料厂一直在进口高粱和大麦等廉价替代品。大麦也是一种不受官方进口配额限制的农产品。