https://www.scmp.com/rss/508691/feed China must ensure an adequate food supply for its 1.4 billion people – about one-fifth of the global population. In a post-coronavirus China, food security has become a more crucial political priority for Beijing, in line with the nation’s new dual-circulation strategy that places greater emphasis on security of all kinds. Particular urgency is being placed on guaranteeing the safety of the nation’s grain supply – its so-called rice bowl. Natural disasters, disease and external uncertainties are... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu China’s pig prices have plunged to their lowest level in nearly eight years, as the country struggles to deal with a persistent supply glut triggered by the spread of huge industrial farms and a post-holiday drop in meat consumption. Live pigs were selling for 11.05 yuan (US$1.60) per kilogram on average during the third week of March, down 2.9 per cent from the previous week and 28 per cent from a year earlier, data from China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs showed. Prices are now... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348423/chinas-massive-pig-farms-spark-supply-glut-hog-prices-hit-8-year-low?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348423/chinas-massive-pig-farms-spark-supply-glut-hog-prices-hit-8-year-low?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China is urging companies to release their fertiliser reserves in time for the crucial spring planting season, as the US-Israel war on Iran strains supplies of key raw materials to the world’s largest grain producer. Beijing is also expected to keep export restrictions on some fertiliser ingredients in place beyond the spring, as it strives to ensure Chinese farmers retain uninterrupted access to vital agrichemicals at reasonable prices despite the Middle East conflict. Tehran’s effective... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347964/china-rushes-stabilise-fertiliser-market-iran-war-chokes-imports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347964/china-rushes-stabilise-fertiliser-market-iran-war-chokes-imports?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 07:00:08 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Meltwater from snow-capped mountains is fostering an emerging trout-farming industry thousands of kilometres from the sea in western China’s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The region, famous for its cotton, is on track to become China’s top trout producer as it ramps up efforts to diversify its agricultural base following criticism of labour practices in the cotton sector that led to import bans overseas. In 2018, in response to rising domestic demand for Atlantic salmon and limited local... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347727/how-salmon-raised-landlocked-xinjiang-netting-fans-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347727/how-salmon-raised-landlocked-xinjiang-netting-fans-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 02:00:08 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen The deepening Strait of Hormuz crisis amid the war in the Middle East is choking the critical flow of not just oil but also fertilisers and perishable goods, and the Global South may face worsening food scarcity, warned the chief of a leading international business organisation. “We’re seeing the impact play out on fertilisers. A lot of people are not fully aware of the importance of the trade, particularly the shipment [of fertilisers] through the Strait of Hormuz and access,” said John Denton,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347666/global-south-bare-brunt-strait-hormuz-crisis-amid-worsening-food-scarcity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347666/global-south-bare-brunt-strait-hormuz-crisis-amid-worsening-food-scarcity?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 05:59:42 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat The United Nations has warned the conflict in the Middle East is sending shock waves from the fertiliser industry to food prices, as countries across the northern hemisphere – including China – enter their spring planting seasons. If the conflict lasts longer than three months, the impact would become “significantly more serious”, affecting input costs in agriculture and disrupting the next planting season with longer-term consequences, chief economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347036/prolonged-iran-war-could-have-serious-impact-food-prices-says-uns-fao?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347036/prolonged-iran-war-could-have-serious-impact-food-prices-says-uns-fao?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 06:00:03 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China has pledged to raise grain output to record levels over the next five years, as part of efforts to guarantee food security for its vast population amid geopolitical shocks and supply-chain uncertainties. Under the nation’s 15th five-year plan unveiled during the “two sessions” parliamentary meetings, Beijing set a target to raise annual grain production capacity to 725 million tonnes by 2030, driven by wider use of high-end agricultural machinery and advanced breeding technologies. As in... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346235/china-targets-record-food-security-push-shadow-us-israeli-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3346235/china-targets-record-food-security-push-shadow-us-israeli-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 06:00:08 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat The escalating conflict in the Middle East is having a direct impact on China’s access to sulphur – a raw material for producing fertiliser – just as the country enters its vital spring planting season. With China sourcing a large chunk of its sulphur from the Persian Gulf, the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz is already sending prices for the chemical shooting upwards as Chinese buyers complain of tightening supplies. China relies on imports for 47 per cent of its sulphur supply,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345761/iran-war-hits-chinas-sulphur-imports-economic-fallout-conflict-grows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345761/iran-war-hits-chinas-sulphur-imports-economic-fallout-conflict-grows?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 09:00:08 +0000 SCMP Reporters SCMP Reporters This document was translated from Chinese into English using Alibaba’s Qwen3.5-Plus and edited for accuracy by a Post journalist. It is for reference only and is not the official English version. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3344443/explaining-chinas-2026-rural-blueprint?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3344443/explaining-chinas-2026-rural-blueprint?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 08:02:47 +0000 Genevieve Donnellon-May Genevieve Donnellon-May A single policy could redraw global food supply lines and scramble markets from the Americas to Southeast Asia. In early February, the Communist Party of China’s Central Committee and State Council released the annual “No 1 document”, the country’s first policy statement of 2026 and its blueprint for agriculture, farmers and rural areas. As one of the world’s largest agricultural producers, importers and exporters, any shift in Beijing’s food strategy carries global repercussions. Covering... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344152/china-seeks-cultivate-food-supply-immune-geopolitical-shocks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344152/china-seeks-cultivate-food-supply-immune-geopolitical-shocks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China has been working to cut the use of soybean meal in animal feed – the primary end-use of imported soybeans – as part of its strategy to reduce external dependence, but the latest industry data suggests these efforts have made limited headway. Last year, the proportion of soybean meal in domestically produced feed stood at 13.4 per cent, unchanged from the previous year, according to data released by the China Feed Industry Association (CFIA) last week. This indicates that the goal set by... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342864/china-failed-hit-soybean-meal-dependence-targets-last-year-us-deal-makes-it-harder?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342864/china-failed-hit-soybean-meal-dependence-targets-last-year-us-deal-makes-it-harder?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 07:22:02 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China will “deeply participate” in agricultural trade and expand imports of products in short domestic supply, a senior official said on Wednesday, signalling strong and sustained demand for overseas soybeans – a long-standing food security concern and a flashpoint in its ties with the United States. Despite a tight balance between production and demand, China would diversify import sources and make full use of international markets, said Han Wenxiu, head of the office of the Communist Party’s... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342390/china-signals-strong-demand-soybean-imports-2026-rural-blueprint?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3342390/china-signals-strong-demand-soybean-imports-2026-rural-blueprint?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:02:46 +0000 Genevieve Donnellon-May Genevieve Donnellon-May Central Asia’s water insecurity may seem a distant concern. But its rivers underpin Eurasian trade corridors, sustain global food markets and power regional energy systems. As water stress worsens, this is no longer just an environmental issue but a strategic threat across Eurasia – demanding urgent attention in Beijing, Brussels and beyond. Central Asia is warming twice as fast as the global average, accelerating glacier retreat in mountain ranges that act as natural reservoirs. As a result,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3341896/why-china-and-europe-should-care-about-central-asias-water-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3341896/why-china-and-europe-should-care-about-central-asias-water-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China is starting to reap the rewards of its food-security push into the seed sector, aggressively making a play for self-reliance with domestically developed varieties dubbed the “chips” of agriculture. This strategic push, authorities say, has seen the nation make substantial progress in developing and deploying its own vital crop and livestock genetics, aiming to reduce dependence amid global uncertainties. In this once innovation-deficient sector, the domestic breeding source market share... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341011/rooted-resilience-chinas-seed-push-plants-agricultural-chips-grows-self-reliance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341011/rooted-resilience-chinas-seed-push-plants-agricultural-chips-grows-self-reliance?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 11:00:09 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang Chinese researchers have developed a form of hybrid rice that can replicate itself through seeds that are clones, preserving high-yield traits generation after generation, according to the development team. The scientists say their breakthrough could transform global agriculture by dismantling the biggest barrier to hybrid rice production: the need for farmers to buy expensive new hybrid seeds every season. As hundreds of millions of people around the world face acute food insecurity, hybrid... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339007/china-creates-worlds-first-clone-hybrid-rice-could-double-global-output?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339007/china-creates-worlds-first-clone-hybrid-rice-could-double-global-output?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 06:43:02 +0000 Xinyi Wu,Ji Siqi Xinyi Wu,Ji Siqi China is kicking off 2026 with a three-year import quota for beef shipments from major trading partners, in a move aimed at protecting its struggling domestic industry over the coming years. Effective Thursday, a 55 per cent tariff will be levied on over-quota beef from countries including Brazil, Argentina, Australia, Uruguay, New Zealand and the United States, the Ministry of Commerce announced on Wednesday. “The objective of these safeguard measures on imported beef is to help the domestic... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3338320/china-imposes-beef-import-quota-slaps-over-quota-tariffs-shield-local-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3338320/china-imposes-beef-import-quota-slaps-over-quota-tariffs-shield-local-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 13:00:14 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu President Xi Jinping has issued a mandate to expand grain production as China moves to shield its food supply from global volatility, calling for renewed efforts to modernise agriculture and rural areas over the coming year. Speaking at a two-day work conference in Beijing that ended on Tuesday, Xi urged a “no-relaxation” approach to grain output and called for higher overall production capacity and efficiency by integrating high-quality land, seeds, machinery and farming techniques. “We must... https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3338186/xi-renews-call-boost-grain-output-after-trade-war-sharpens-chinas-food-security-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/policy/article/3338186/xi-renews-call-boost-grain-output-after-trade-war-sharpens-chinas-food-security-push?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 01:00:20 +0000 Chow Chung-yan Chow Chung-yan As families and friends gather to bid farewell to a turbulent 2025, the unassuming potato will, no matter where you live, almost certainly find its place on the dinner table. Domesticated nearly 10,000 years ago in Peru, it did not voyage beyond the Americas until the 16th century. Yet no vegetable has played a more significant role in human history and politics than this humble tuber. Dubbed the calorie king, potatoes produce more calories and nutrients per unit of land than any other major... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338149/be-potato-lesson-resilient-staple-resonates-2026-approaches?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3338149/be-potato-lesson-resilient-staple-resonates-2026-approaches?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 Dec 2025 01:00:12 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China, the world’s top soybean consumer, faces a complex balancing act when securing supplies. With 90 per cent of market demand met by imports, Brazil and the United States remain its top suppliers, but intensifying efforts to promote self-sufficiency are seeking to reduce reliance on imports. From price swings and quality traits to strategic roles in the market, soybeans from the three countries tell different stories about China’s quest for stability and security that can be broken down into... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336790/what-does-future-hold-brazil-us-chinas-soybean-balancing-act?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3336790/what-does-future-hold-brazil-us-chinas-soybean-balancing-act?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 14:30:08 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China is on track to slash its reliance on imported soybeans to less than 30 per cent within a decade, from the current 90 per cent, research from Goldman Sachs suggests, as Beijing accelerates efforts to shore up self-sufficiency – including inoculating its food supply against trade shocks. Demand-management strategies for the crop – a vital source of cooking oil and animal feed, as well as a key commodity at the centre of Beijing’s trade relations with Washington – reduced annual consumption... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3336111/chinas-food-security-push-slash-soy-imports-two-thirds-decade-goldman-sachs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3336111/chinas-food-security-push-slash-soy-imports-two-thirds-decade-goldman-sachs?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 03:00:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Eight more wild boar with suspected cases of African swine fever were discovered near Barcelona, La Vanguardia newspaper reported on Sunday, as Spain struggles to limit the damage to a pork export industry worth billions of euros a year. The newspaper cited sources close to the Catalan agriculture ministry. Two cases have been confirmed, and 12 others have shown signs they may also have the disease but are undergoing tests to confirm this. If confirmed, it would bring the number of infected... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3334699/suspected-swine-fever-cases-rise-near-barcelona-spain-struggles-limit-export-damage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3334699/suspected-swine-fever-cases-rise-near-barcelona-spain-struggles-limit-export-damage?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Nov 2025 20:00:52 +0000 Reuters Reuters Spain’s Agriculture Ministry said it has halted all pork exports to China after two wild boar found dead near Barcelona tested positive for African swine flu, the first cases in three decades. The outbreak, the first since 1994, coincides with Spanish efforts to court Beijing and gain market share in the pork sector and after China imposed tariffs on EU pork during an anti-dumping investigation. Spain is the European Union’s leading pork producer, accounting for roughly a quarter of the bloc’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3334632/spain-stops-pork-exports-china-after-african-swine-flu-cases-first-30-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3334632/spain-stops-pork-exports-china-after-african-swine-flu-cases-first-30-years?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Nov 2025 13:38:34 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick China has halted imports of soybeans from five Brazilian exporters after inspectors found pesticide-treated wheat mixed into a cargo bound for Beijing, officials from both countries said on Thursday. The suspension by China’s General Administration of Customs was communicated to Brazil’s agriculture ministry on Wednesday and made public on Thursday. The ban covers two Cargill facilities and one plant each run by Louis Dreyfus Co., CHS Agronegocios and 3Tentos Agroindustrial. Four of the plants... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334588/china-halts-soy-imports-brazil-plants-pivots-us-amid-food-safety-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3334588/china-halts-soy-imports-brazil-plants-pivots-us-amid-food-safety-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Nov 2025 19:23:26 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Soybeans are more than just a crop – they have become a litmus test of Beijing’s evolving food security strategy and sit at the heart of the US-China trade war. As a crucial source of animal feed and cooking oil, soybeans have remained a flashpoint throughout the ebbs and flows of the two nations’ trade disputes, from the tariff war during US President Donald Trump’s first term to the current one. Less well known is China’s transformation from soybean exporter to the world’s leading importer.... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3333382/chinas-soybean-revolution-change-rewrote-global-trade-and-tested-food-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3333382/chinas-soybean-revolution-change-rewrote-global-trade-and-tested-food-security?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 22:00:10 +0000 David Okoronkwo David Okoronkwo After US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping shook hands in Busan last month, the headlines highlighted smiles and tariff rollbacks. Washington hailed it as a “massive victory”, saying China had pledged to buy 12 million tonnes of American soybeans by January and at least 25 million tonnes annually for the next three years. Futures on the Chicago Board of Trade surged and farmers in the US Midwest cheered. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent declared that “our great soybean... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3332390/soybean-diplomacy-us-china-now-holds-remote-control?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3332390/soybean-diplomacy-us-china-now-holds-remote-control?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Nov 2025 21:30:09 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong China has long been a vital export market for the US lobster industry. The country is the world’s largest consumer and importer of the crustacean, which is eaten all year round and often gifted during holidays by Chinese families. But American fishers are now missing out on Chinese sales amid the trade war, and they may struggle to claw back their former position as China increasingly turns to suppliers in the Asia-Pacific region, according to industry insiders. US lobster shipments to China... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3332203/us-lobster-fishers-missing-boat-vital-china-sales-amid-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3332203/us-lobster-fishers-missing-boat-vital-china-sales-amid-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 12:30:14 +0000 Genevieve Donnellon-May Genevieve Donnellon-May At last week’s fourth plenary session of the Central Committee of China’s Communist Party in Beijing, food emerged as a clear policy priority. The plenum’s communique highlighted the goal of accelerating China’s transformation into an agricultural power. A leading agricultural producer and importer and a significant exporter, China is doubling down on its next agricultural milestone ahead of the official approval of the 15th five-year plan (2026-2030) early next year. While detailed... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3330665/chinas-next-power-move-much-fields-factories?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3330665/chinas-next-power-move-much-fields-factories?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Regina de Luna,Yohji Lam Regina de Luna,Yohji Lam Soybean imports will be a key bargaining chip for China in the latest round of trade negotiations with the United States in 2025. American farmers are holding out hope of a deal ahead of an expected meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump, but the two nations may struggle to agree a comprehensive pact. SCMP Plus subscribers enjoy early access to selected SCMP videos. https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3330038/chinas-boycott-us-soybeans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3330038/chinas-boycott-us-soybeans?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 07:49:14 +0000 Mandy Zuo,Mia Nurmamat Mandy Zuo,Mia Nurmamat China imported no soybeans from the United States in September, but total imports remained at high levels amid a recent escalation in the US-China trade war, the latest Chinese customs data showed. Last month, the world’s largest food buyer purchased 12.8 million tonnes of soybeans – a crop heavily reliant on imports for its livestock industry – with a notable surge from Argentina during a brief suspension of export taxes, according to the detailed customs data released on Monday. The absence of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3329690/chinas-soybean-imports-surge-orders-us-hit-zero-and-south-america-cashing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3329690/chinas-soybean-imports-surge-orders-us-hit-zero-and-south-america-cashing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Oct 2025 13:00:17 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo As China drafts its 15th five-year plan – the next entry in a line of expansive blueprints that have set the tone for the country’s development over more than seven decades – we examine how these documents inform and reflect high-level policy priorities, what to expect in the coming iteration and why food security is set to remain a cornerstone in Beijing’s push for self-reliance. For more stories in this ongoing series, click here. To view SCMP Plus Factsheets on the 15th five-year plan and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3329086/why-chinas-next-5-year-plan-will-double-down-food-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3329086/why-chinas-next-5-year-plan-will-double-down-food-security?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Oct 2025 22:00:09 +0000 Alice Li,Kandy Wong Alice Li,Kandy Wong While US officials express expectations of meaningful progress in the next round of trade talks – where agricultural purchases are likely to top the agenda – analysts suggest soybeans are poised to become a key bargaining chip for China in upcoming negotiations, and a comprehensive deal may not be easily signed. James Downes, executive co-director at the Centre for Research and Social Progress, an Italian think tank, said that US President Donald Trump was “strongly motivated” to secure a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3327815/soybeans-chinas-new-bargaining-chip-trade-war-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3327815/soybeans-chinas-new-bargaining-chip-trade-war-us?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Oct 2025 13:00:09 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Seven years ago, He Yangyang left his university job in downtown Shanghai to return to his Songjiang district hometown – on the outskirts of the city – and begin exploring how digital technology could transform farming. Today, his Tushibao Agricultural Cooperative farm has made the hi-tech vision of agriculture a reality, using a central control system to manage fully autonomous field operations – ploughing, planting, managing and harvesting – that are overseen by just a few staff... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3327437/not-farming-grandparents-how-shanghais-success-hi-tech-agriculture-sets-example?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3327437/not-farming-grandparents-how-shanghais-success-hi-tech-agriculture-sets-example?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Oct 2025 12:30:15 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China has called on the United States to lift its unilateral tariff measures so the two sides can restore normal trade flows of soybeans – a focal point of ongoing negotiations as many US farmers grow increasingly desperate for a bilateral deal to secure exports. Washington could take decisive action to ease tensions and bring trading of the crop – a critically important export for America’s agricultural industry – back to normalcy, Ministry of Commerce spokesman He Yadong said during a press... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3326873/soybeans-sake-cancel-tariffs-china-urges-us-farmers-grow-desperate-harvest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3326873/soybeans-sake-cancel-tariffs-china-urges-us-farmers-grow-desperate-harvest?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 11:09:47 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick Chinese imports supported 5.2 million jobs in Brazil, more than twice the number tied to exports to China, highlighting both the depth of the relationship and the risks of relying on a single partner, according to a comprehensive study released on Wednesday by the China-Brazil Business Council. The report, produced with the country’s Development, Industry, Trade and Services Ministry, shows how bilateral commerce has grown nearly fivefold in the past two decades and now shapes not just trade... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/money-wealth/article/3325101/imports-china-account-more-5-million-brazilian-jobs-study-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/money-wealth/article/3325101/imports-china-account-more-5-million-brazilian-jobs-study-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 19:25:28 +0000 Alejandro Reyes Alejandro Reyes China’s most recent national security white paper opens with a striking hierarchy, putting people’s security first, political security second and economic security third. That ordering is deliberate. For years, Western observers have asked what China wants. Does Beijing aim to dominate Asia, displace the United States or rewrite the international order? Entire books and essays have been devoted to the question. However, the more revealing question is different: what does China need? Wants are... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3323357/why-world-should-focus-what-china-needs-not-what-it-wants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3323357/why-world-should-focus-what-china-needs-not-what-it-wants?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Aug 2025 12:30:07 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Chinese shipments of urea – a major fertiliser and chemical used to reduce emissions – have surged after Beijing reportedly eased an export ban imposed last year to curb domestic prices and maintain food security. Analysts said exports of the chemical – a type of nitrogen used in agriculture as well as to curb diesel and industrial emissions – may continue rising in August and September, as a large portion of the quota remained unused and shipments to India might resume. China exported 567,184... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3322622/chinas-shipments-major-fertiliser-surge-600-signalling-softer-export-curbs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3322622/chinas-shipments-major-fertiliser-surge-600-signalling-softer-export-curbs?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 06:01:54 +0000 Mandy Zuo,He Huifeng Mandy Zuo,He Huifeng A white metal robot trundling up and down a cotton field in Xinjiang represents the future of Chinese agriculture. The boxlike machine is the world’s first cotton-topping robot, automating the laborious and error-prone process of removing plants’ top buds to redirect nutrients towards lateral branches, boosting boll formation and yields. The experimental machine, unveiled in July, has achieved 98.9 per cent accuracy in bud detection and 82 per cent success in topping, development team leader... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3321549/farming-robots-help-china-feed-clothe-shrinking-population?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3321549/farming-robots-help-china-feed-clothe-shrinking-population?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Aug 2025 07:11:06 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Amid falling prices and stiff competition from imports, China has unveiled plans to bolster the cattle industry – the latest in a series of policies aimed at strengthening key agricultural sectors. China will step up its beef production and implement a quality-grading system for locally produced beef to promote consumption of high-quality versions of the meat – part of an effort announced by the nation’s top economic planner and nine government departments to boost consumption of farm produce. A... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320685/chinas-beef-prices-are-still-low-beijings-new-plan-aims-wrangle-consumption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320685/chinas-beef-prices-are-still-low-beijings-new-plan-aims-wrangle-consumption?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Aug 2025 03:00:09 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Chinese authorities have tightened oversight of imported Vietnamese durians this year after finding “excessive levels” of two potentially harmful substances in the popular, high-value fruit. The General Administration of Customs of China now requires enhanced pre-export safety checks and compliance testing before shipments leave the source country, with “qualified” test reports to be attached to durians, a customs official told the Post, requesting anonymity due to internal rules. She said the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320379/china-toughens-import-rules-vietnamese-durians-after-detecting-health-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3320379/china-toughens-import-rules-vietnamese-durians-after-detecting-health-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Aug 2025 04:00:13 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang A Chinese company has converted a giant cargo ship into a mobile fish farm as part of a project that aims to boost the nation’s food security by repurposing old vessels for use in aquaculture. The ship, named the Zhe Dai Yu Yang 60001, is a hulking bulk carrier measuring 225 metres in length and 32.2 metres in width, which used to have a capacity of 80,000 deadweight tonnes. But it will now be used to produce up to 2,800 tonnes of fish per year after its conversion by a subsidiary of the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3319136/china-converts-cargo-ship-giant-fish-farm-food-security-push-gets-creative?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3319136/china-converts-cargo-ship-giant-fish-farm-food-security-push-gets-creative?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 10:30:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg China has booked a rare shipment of soybean meal from Argentina, as the country seeks to secure supplies of a key animal feed ingredient amid an ongoing trade war with the US. Several Chinese traders and feed producers jointly ordered the cargo from the world’s top exporter of soy meal and oil as a trial shipment, according to people with knowledge of the deal. It marks the first purchase since Beijing opened the door to imports from the country in 2019, the people said. The 30,000-ton shipment... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3316001/china-imports-argentina-soybean-meal-trial-amid-us-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3316001/china-imports-argentina-soybean-meal-trial-amid-us-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2025 19:23:48 +0000 Mia Nulimaimaiti Mia Nulimaimaiti China’s imports of a slew of US agricultural products plunged dramatically in May, and it is possible the trade may never fully rebound as Beijing’s moves to diversify its food supplies will be “difficult to unwind”, experts said. The shift in Chinese demand sparked by the trade war and Beijing’s concerns about long-term uncertainty in its relationship with America could have deep implications for global supply chains – and particularly for the US farm sector, for which China has long been a key... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3315484/us-farmers-face-tough-outlook-china-switches-suppliers-amid-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3315484/us-farmers-face-tough-outlook-china-switches-suppliers-amid-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jun 2025 13:00:08 +0000 June Xia June Xia Chinese agricultural scientists have turned 40 hectares (99 acres) of salty soil in Xinjiang into fertile land capable of supporting multiple crops – part of a national strategy to bolster food security by transforming vast swathes of non-arable terrain into farms. The breakthrough followed seven years of effort in the Uygur autonomous region’s Shihezi, led by a research team from a local university, the state-owned People’s Daily reported. The previously degraded soil now sustains wheat,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3314339/chinas-xinjiang-turns-salt-desert-fertile-farmland-food-security-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3314339/chinas-xinjiang-turns-salt-desert-fertile-farmland-food-security-push?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jun 2025 00:00:17 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Soybean farmers in the United States have stepped up efforts to diversify their export markets while maintaining China as a critical buyer, despite ongoing trade tensions between the two superpowers, according to the head of a leading industry association. Jim Sutter, CEO of the US Soybean Export Council, said that while concerns about possible disruptions persist, China’s strong demand for soybeans – a crucial commodity for food and livestock feed – would ensure the US remains an important... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3313702/us-soybean-farmers-move-reduce-dependence-china-trade-war-grinds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3313702/us-soybean-farmers-move-reduce-dependence-china-trade-war-grinds?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Jun 2025 13:00:11 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang China is building the world’s first ship dedicated to salmon farming, and it is set to be delivered in June, in a sign of the country’s latest efforts to reduce its reliance on imported seafood through offshore aquaculture. The nearly 250-metre (820-foot) Su Hai No 1 vessel, built by Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard in Guangzhou at a cost of 600 million yuan (US$83.6 million), is expected to produce up to 8,000 tonnes of salmon annually, according to the shipowner, Jiangsu Lianshen Marine... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3311784/go-fish-china-deliver-worlds-first-salmon-farming-ship-modernising-fisheries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3311784/go-fish-china-deliver-worlds-first-salmon-farming-ship-modernising-fisheries?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 May 2025 05:04:33 +0000 Alice Li,Leopold Chen Alice Li,Leopold Chen China’s imports of American soybeans and pork plunged to zero in early May and have yet to recover despite the US-China tariff truce, suggesting the trade war may have done lasting damage to a key US export trade. For years, China has been a vital market for US agricultural products, with American farmers exporting more than US$12.8 billion of soybeans alone to the country in 2024, according to US government figures. But that trade was almost entirely severed after US President Donald Trump... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3311560/us-farmers-feel-pain-soybean-exports-china-flatline-despite-tariff-truce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3311560/us-farmers-feel-pain-soybean-exports-china-flatline-despite-tariff-truce?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 May 2025 10:00:24 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen China is expected to deepen economic ties with South American nations as it increases agricultural imports from the region and reduces reliance on the United States amid the trade war – a strategic move ahead of the China-Latin America ministerial gathering, analysts said. The world’s second-largest economy reinstated the registration of five Brazilian soybean exporters last week, allowing them to resume shipments to the mainland, according to Chinese customs authorities. In January, China... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3310034/china-expected-ramp-soybean-imports-brazil-reduce-us-reliance-amid-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3310034/china-expected-ramp-soybean-imports-brazil-reduce-us-reliance-amid-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 May 2025 02:00:13 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang As rising global uncertainties prompt China to diversify sources of imported food, its Southeast Asian neighbours are becoming increasingly viable suppliers thanks to overseas investment and cooperative farming initiatives, experts say. Yunnan, the southwestern Chinese province bordering Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam, plays a key role in regional agricultural cooperation. Its involvement dates back decades to the “alternative crop cultivation programme”, which aimed to reduce opium production in the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3309871/what-role-yunnan-playing-china-looks-asean-more-food?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3309871/what-role-yunnan-playing-china-looks-asean-more-food?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 May 2025 02:00:12 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik Chinese scientists say they have unearthed genetic secrets in the roots of upland rice linked to drought resistance, paving the way to transform widely cultivated irrigated rice into drought-tolerant varieties. They say they have identified a gene that could obstruct the development of deeper, thicker roots in upland rice, characteristics that are crucial for drought resistance. By removing this gene, called HMGB1, irrigated rice developed longer roots and greater drought tolerance, traits... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3309394/science-food-security-chinese-unlock-gene-secret-root-drought-tolerant-rice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3309394/science-food-security-chinese-unlock-gene-secret-root-drought-tolerant-rice?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 May 2025 11:00:12 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China has released an action plan to reduce the amount of grain used in the feeding of its livestock – particularly soybean meal, a product that is mostly sourced from other countries – to maintain food security during an uncertain period for global trade. The country is seeking to cut the proportion of grain in its animal feed to 60 per cent and that of soybean meal to 10 per cent by 2030, part of a larger campaign to keep supplies of staple crops secure, the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3309267/china-cuts-need-feed-seed-food-security-campaign-ramps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3309267/china-cuts-need-feed-seed-food-security-campaign-ramps?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 May 2025 13:00:08 +0000 Christopher Tang Christopher Tang While US President Donald Trump has been consistent in using tariffs to try to force China to buy more American goods to reduce the trade deficit, his policies have inadvertently provided Beijing with multiple pathways to gain the upper hand in the trade war. Trump, as a business executive, may view US-China relations in terms of a buyer-seller dynamic. He may think the United States has leverage as the largest buyer of Chinese goods. But until the US establishes reliable sourcing alternatives... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3308734/thanks-trump-china-has-cards-it-needs-win-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3308734/thanks-trump-china-has-cards-it-needs-win-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 May 2025 12:30:08 +0000