Sorghum, Grain Sorghum: Any of various plants of the genus sorghum, family Poaceae, a cereal grain.

Grain sorghum is the third most important cereal crop grown in the United States and the fifth most important cereal crop grown in the world. The United States is the world's largest producer of grain sorghum followed by India and Nigeria. It is a leading cereal grain produced in Africa and is an important food source in India. Leading exporters are the United States, Australia and Argentina.

World Sorghum Production and Trade

The United States is currently positioned as the number two producer and number one exporter of sorghum on the world market. The United States' share of world trade in sorghum has not dropped below 70 percent in more than a decade. World trade in sorghum is dominated by U.S. exports to Mexico. Other importing countries and regions include Japan, Israel, South Africa, Spain, Morocco, Eritrea and Others.

World Sorghum Exports:

Sorghum Usage

In many parts of the world sorghum has traditionally been used in food products and various food items; porridge, unleavened bread, cookies, cakes, couscous, and malted beverages are made from this versatile grain. Traditional food preparation of sorghum is quite varied. Boiled sorghums are one of the simplest uses and small, corneous grains are normally desired for this type of food product. The whole grain may be ground into flour or decorticated before grinding to produce either a fine particle product or flour, which is then used in various traditional foods.

Sorghum has unique properties that make it well suited for food uses. Some sorghum varieties are rich in antioxidants and all sorghum varieties are gluten-free, an attractive alternative for wheat allergy sufferers.

Because of its neutral taste, sorghum absorbs other flavors well. For example, U.S. white sorghum has been exported to Japanese millers to be processed into flour. Japanese snack food processors have used the flour in research and recipe development, leading to commercialization of snack food products. It is anticipated that more white sorghum based products will debut soon both in Japan and in North America.

Sorghum is also an important animal feed used in countries like the U.S., Mexico, South America and Australia. Good-quality sorghums are available with a nutritional feeding value that is equivalent to that of corn. Sorghum can be processed to further improve its feed value and techniques such as grinding, crushing, steaming, steam flaking, popping and extruding have all been used to enhance the grain for feeding. The products are then fed to beef and dairy cattle, laying hens and poultry and pigs, and are used in pet foods.

As much as 12 percent of domestic sorghum production goes to produce ethanol and its various co-products. With demand for renewable fuel sources increasing, demand for co-products like sorghum-DDGS (distiller's dried grains with solubles) will increase as well due to sorghum's favorable nutrition profile.

Sorghum has a high yield potential and the highest recorded yield for the crop is 20.1 tons per hectare (320 bushels/acre). However, yield in Africa and India remains very low. The United States harvests approximately 2.5 million hectares of sorghum annually and production is concentrated in the central and southern plains with five states - Kansas, Texas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Missouri (listed in ranking order) - representing approximately 89 percent of total production. As a continent, Africa is the largest producer of sorghum with approximately 21.6 million metric tons (850.6 million bushels) produced annually. Leading producers around the world during fiscal year 2006 included the United States (10 million metric tons/393.7 million bushels), India (7.8 million metric tons/307 million bushels), Nigeria (10.5 million metric tons/413.4 million bushels) and Mexico (5.5 million metric tons/216.5 million bushels).

Sorghum is one of the most drought tolerant cereal crops currently under cultivation. It offers farmers the ability to reduce costs on irrigation and other on-farm expenses. The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) warns that by the year 2025, 25 percent of the world's population will experience severe water scarcity. However, water productivity in both irrigated and rain-fed acres can be increased through the use of more water-use efficient crops, like sorghum.

For recipes and additional material on sorghum, see the Sorghum Handbook

For more information please contact:

Kansas Grain Sorghum Board
P.O. Box 243
Paola, KS 66071
Tel: (913)294-4314
Fax: (913)294-4314
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Web site: www.ksgrains.com/sorghum

National Sorghum Producers
4201 N. Interstate 27
Lubbock, TX 79403
Tel: (806) 749-3478
Fax: (806) 749-9002
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
website: www.sorghumgrowers.com

Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board
P.O. Box 94982
Lincoln, NE 68509
Tel: (402)471-4276
Fax: (402)471-3040
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Web site: www.sorghum.state.ne.us

Texas Grain Sorghum Board
4201 N. Interstate 27
Lubbock, TX 79403
Tel: (806)687-7486
Fax: (806)749-9002
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Web site: www.texassorghum.com

United Sorghum Checkoff Program
4201 N. Interstate 27
Lubbock, TX 79403
Tel:  (806) 435-0108
Fax:  (806) 749-9002
Web site:  www.sorghumcheckoff.com