Soybeans from the U.S. are set to start their journey to China.

China’s Soybean Purchases Signal Trade Deal Commitment

Reports indicate that China has purchased a significant amount of U.S. soybeans, reflecting its dedication to a recent trade agreement with the U.S.

The newly announced U.S.-China trade deal lifts the soybean import ban, including an agreement by China to buy 12 million tons of U.S. soybeans during the last two months of 2025, and at least 25 million tons annually through 2028. This comes after six months of minimal U.S. soybean exports to China, which were affected by retaliatory trade actions.

I think that now’s the time to buy soybeans, especially since prices can shift quickly. Monitoring China’s demand for soybeans should be simpler, thanks to the baseline data that’s available again from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). It’s somewhat encouraging that negotiations between the U.S. and China are still ongoing.

The current patterns in daily, weekly, and monthly charts suggest that soybean prices might rise.

As for an options trading strategy, one could consider selling three contracts of January 2026 soybeans at 13.0 ($650). With those premiums, you might want to buy a March 2026 Soybean 1170 call for 38. Keep in mind that the January puts will expire on December 26, 2025. Given that the harvest period is over, soybeans typically trade at higher prices now. However, I feel this strategy has its risks due to the long horizon if you’re looking to sell options within 20 days. If you need any guidance regarding this approach, feel free to reach out.