According to the U.S. Grains Council, sorghum is the world’s fifth-largest grain by output, reports Southwest Farm Press.
Sorghum’s growing popularity is due to in part that grain sorghum is relatively inexpensive to plant, drought-tolerant and global demand is growing.
China’s farmers are using sorghum as a hog and chicken feed. China also uses grain sorghum in the production of a whiskey-like liquor called baijiu, a traditional drink often referred to as Chinese moonshine.
Baijiu, in fact, is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the modern world. It’s so popular that even a Texas-based distiller is making baijiu to sell to the growing number of Chinese nationals living in the United States.
Nationwide, sorghum acres are expected to increase this year by as much as 14 percent to meet export demand.