One of the keys to the sorghum industry is finding new demand and one of those new sources of demand might be the American consumer.
90 percent of U.S.-grown sorghum is spoken for through exports, ethanol and livestock. The remaining 10 percent goes to “other” such as pet food, but a growing amount is going to human food.
At Commodity Classic in San Antonio at the beginning of the month, the United Sorghum Checkoff was handing out a salsa-like dip made with sorghum. The grain is finding more acceptance at restaurants and supermarkets.
“All of a sudden when people start talking about whole grain, they’re looking for a different option, and it just so happens that sorghum fits extremely well into that option,” said Florentino Lopez, executive director of the United Sorghum Checkoff.
He says the sorghum industry has enjoyed demand-growth the past three years, with much of the crop going to China and Mexico.
