Opportunities.
Sorghum
the reliable crop.

Sorghum is the fifth most widely-grown crop in the world over 60 million hectares of sorghum is grown at global level.

Just over 40% of this production is destined directly to human consumption, primarily in Africa and Asia.

People consume sorghum as whole grains, for example as semolina and (gluten-free) flour and in the form of sugar or alcoholic beverages (beer, spirits) following processing, malting and fermentation.

Animal feed consumption accounts for another 40 to 45% of sorghum production, for example as silage, pasture or a grain ingredient in compound feed manufacturing.

Increasing production in Europe

More and more farmers in Europe grow sorghum. Sorghum is a crop which gives them both an opportunity for diversification and an agronomic response to global warming (let’s not forget that 85% of agricultural land is not irrigated!). Another convincing argument: thanks to star-sorghum genetics, yields are increasing. Surfaces are growing which reinforces supply security. In 2019, for the 2nd consecutive year, the surface cultivated in sorghum increased very significantly in Europe. In the EU28, the average increase compared to the previous year is +10%, with variations depending on the country (+ 9% in Italy, + 14% in France, + 18% in Romania, + 30% in Austria, + 50% in Hungary…). In Ukraine, the cultivated surface increased by 25%. This surface increase, as well as good yield levels, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, made it possible to reach an overall production (EU28 + Ukraine and Russia) of 1.3MT, which constitutes a good level of production, superior to previous harvest results.

How sorghum is used

Features :

A smaller sorghum variety, chosen for grain production.

Uses :

  • Animal feed: poultry, pigs, grazing animals…
  • In the human diet: semolina, fl our (the grain is suited to the glutenintolerant),
    brewing and distilling.
  • Biofuels (ethanol)

SILAGE AND DUAL USE

Features:
Large sorghum variety with high nutritional value.

Uses :

– Animal feed: silage.
– Industrial use: methanisation, biofuels, biomaterials, etc.

Primarily for use in industry

Features:
Very large sorghum variety, highly productive, with medium to low digestibility

Uses :
Primarily for industrial use: methanisation, biofuels, biomaterials, etc.

Features:

2 types:
– Sudan grass and hybrid
– Sorghum Bicolor x Sudan grass.
2 to 4 cuts possible

Uses :

– Animal feed: mowing, pastures, silage, ribbonning, green crop forage.
– Plant cover

TESTIMONY

Sorghum from Bologna, perfect for all uses

Bologna, a province of northern Italy produces 90% of Italian sorghum. In addition to motivated producers, there are also highly committed distributors and processors who find in sorghum a raw material full of assets. Venturoli company, sorghum seed distributor…

Others benefits

New opportunities in food. Sorghum the reliable crop.

Input efficiencies. Sorghum the reliable crop.