According to statistics from
China Customs, in the first half of 2012, China imported 29.05 million tonnes
of soybean, up 29.05% over H1 2011. Since the planting area of soybean in China has decreased this year, it's estimated
that China's
import of soybean will set a new record in 2012, and the high growth of import
volume in H1 2012 is a signal, according to CCM’s July
issue of AgriChina
Investor.
Soybean is a major source of
edible oil in China.
With the increasing demand for edible oil from urban residents and the
declining planting area of soybean, China's import of soybean has been
increasing year by year over the past decade.
Since 2003, China has
surpassed the European Union and become the largest soybean importer in the
world. In 2010, China's
soybean import volume hit a historic high of 54.80 million tonnes. In 2011, it
decreased slightly by 3.9% to 52.64 million tonnes. The import volume of
soybean in China
climbed by 90% from 2004 to 2010.
According to the data from China's National Grain and Oils
Information Center,
the annual consumption volume of edible oil in China reached 20.5kg per person in 2011.
China mainly
imports soybean from the U.S.,
Brazil and Argentina,
where the GMO soybeans are planted the most extensively. The U.S., a country with the largest planting areas
of soybean in the world, has supplied about a quarter of its soybean output to China.
Imported soybean now accounts for
about 80% of China's
total soybean consumption. Compared with more than 50 million tonnes of
imported soybean every year, China's
domestic output of soybean has been about 12 million tonnes per year in recent
years.
Driven by the increasing
urbanization rate and hence the increasing demand from urban residents in China, China's soybean import volume is
expected to maintain an uptrend in the next 10 to 15 years. According to a
forecast from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, China's import volume of soybean is
expected to go up by 62% to 90 million tonnes per year over the next 10
years.
China's soybean growing industry has been greatly
affected by the increasing import volume of soybean. As imported soybean has
advantages in cost (because of high farming efficiency in major soybean
planting countries) and high oil yield (because of the adoption of GMO seed;
but GMO soybean is prohibited to be planted in China), domestic soybean growing
industry is beaten by imported product, and many Chinese farmers are unwilling
to grow soybean.
The decreasing output of domestic
soybean and the increasing soybean import also impact China's oil
crushing industry. It was reported that more than 80% of the soybean oil
crushers in Heilongjiang Province, China's largest soybean production base,
have closed down due to the decline in both planting area and output of soybean
in the region in 2011, and many of the soybean oil producers have been
relocated to coastal areas and begun to use imported soybean as their raw
materials.
The heavy reliance on imported
soybean brings great risks to the food security of China and the price stability of
edible oil. Now many foreign companies have extended and integrated the
industrial chain of soybean in China,
thus dominating the pricing rights of China's
edible oil market; more than 75% market share of soybean oil market in China is
controlled by overseas brands. Most price rise of edible oil in the end market
in recent years are initiated by overseas companies. Edible oil's price, which
is included in China's
CPI contributing factor, is highly related to society sustainability.
As soybean is not included in
grain in Chinese government's statistical system, the high reliance on soybean
import may be ignored if focus is only put on China's grain sufficiency rate.
Many experts suggest that grain security-related governmental departments in China should
concern more about the soybean import.
Source: AgriChina Investor 1207
Content of AgriChina Investor 1207:
Chuying Agro-Pastoral's rapid
expansion faces challenges
Shenzhen Jinxinnong invests in
capital preservation financing product
Arla Foods strengthens its
presence in China
Muyuan Foodstuff's IPO approved
Big buyers increase in domestic
crop protection market
U.S. drought not to
push up China's
grain price
China's cotton import volume up 130.2% in H1 2012
Brief introduction to China's direct
subsidies for farmers
High reliance on imported soybean
affects China's
edible oil security
Investment in leisure agriculture
to become hot in China
Why companies in other industries
set foot in agricultural business?
Chinese farmers often experience
poor sales of agricultural produces
Guangdong Dahuanong to accelerate
aquaculture vaccine commercialization
Minsheng Banking opens financial
centers for tea and fishery
Imp.&exp. value of China's
agricultural produces up 18.4% in Jan.-May 2012
Flood may drag down China's autumn
grain yield
……
AgriChina Investor, periodically published on 25th every month, offers
timely update and close follow up of agriculture
investment in China, analyzing market data and trends, as well as related policies. Major
columns include investment environment,
investment dynamics, market watcher, market review etc.
If you are interested in AgriChina Investor, please do not
hesitate to contact us by +86-20-37616606, or email us at econtact@cnchemicals.com.
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