Leading wheat exporters maintained sales to China last year, despite mainland claims of a record grain harvest.
The Canadian and Australian wheat boards shipped more than 5.5 million tonnes of wheat to China last year for the second consecutive year, according to trade figures.
Australia's wheat shipments, exceeding 2.2 million tonnes, represented the highest level of exports to China since the 1986-87 shipping season, the Melbourne-based wheat board said.
United States export figures have not been compiled, although a US official in Beijing said wheat sales to China were expected to reach seven million tonnes for the shipping season that started last July 1.
China also imports small volumes of wheat from Argentina and France. Beijing claimed to have reduced its wheat imports by nearly a third after harvesting a record grain crop of 480 million tonnes.
The State Statistical Bureau claimed last year's crop was the biggest in China's history despite a five-month drought in northern wheat-growing areas and a US$26.5 billion flood in the south.