China’s soybean output tops 20 million tonnes for first time as it shifts away from import reliance

China’s annual soybean harvest increased by nearly a quarter in 2022 while Beijing ramped up its self-sufficiency drive

And agricultural officials say domestic output will continue rising this year to meet demand

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China’s soybean cropland amounted to 10.2 million hectares (25.2 million acres) in 2022, marking a 21 per cent year-on-year increase. Photo: Xinhua

Published: 8:00pm, 20 Jan 2023

China’s soybean output and cropland area reached record highs in 2022 as a result of Beijing’s heightened efforts to bolster domestic food security amid geopolitical tensions.

Attaining larger soybean yields while reducing China’s dependency on external sources has been high on the government’s agenda as it seeks to ensure there is enough food for 1.4 billion people.

The domestic output of soybeans – a major oilseed and animal feed – reached 20.28 million tonnes in 2022, marking a year-on-year increase of 23.7 per cent. It was the first time the country produced more than 20 million tonnes.

Soybean cropland amounted to 10.2 million hectares (25.2 million acres) in 2022 – an increase of 1.82 million hectares, or about 21 per cent, from 2021.

“This is the largest amount of land used for soybean production since 1958,” said Zeng Yande, the chief agronomist and director of the Department of Development and Planning Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, on Wednesday.

This increase in domestic output coincided with a decline in soybean imports last year, and the import total is expected to keep falling in the coming years. According to data released by China customs last month, soybean imports declined by 8.1 per cent, year on year, during the first 11 months of 2022.

China’s soybean self-sufficiency rate is estimated to have reached 18.5 per cent in 2022, which would mark a year-on-year increase of 3 percentage points, according to the ministry.