Trump trade rep changes China soybean purchase timeline, cites 'discrepancy'

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer connected Tuesday told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee that the deadline for China to bargain 12 cardinal metric tons of soybeans from American farmers was not the extremity of December arsenic the White House has said, but the extremity of the "growing season."

Greer's remark astatine the proceeding came connected the heels of a study by NBC News showing that the gait of China's acquisition of soybeans successful caller weeks, aft a months-long boycott of buying, was good abbreviated of reaching 12 cardinal metric tons by the extremity of the year.

China to day has bought lone astir 3 cardinal metric tons, the commercialized typical told members of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies subcommittee.

He said determination was a "discrepancy" successful what the White House has described arsenic the deadline and the existent deadline for the purchases to beryllium completed.

Greer's disclosure came successful effect to a question by Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb.

"There remains anxiousness astir if and erstwhile China volition afloat travel done connected those acquisition commitments that were made," Fischer said.

She noted that the White House information expanse connected the commercialized woody said China would acquisition 12 cardinal metric tons by the extremity of the calendar twelvemonth -- contradicting caller comments from Greer.

"It is for this increasing season, so, convey you for highlighting that," Greer said.

'"We've heard from a mates farmers, they wanted to cognize astir that discrepancy, and it is simply a discrepancy, it's done the increasing season," helium said.

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