China to further expand oilseed production to reduce import reliance

(Jan 23): China will grow rapeseed on more land and stabilise soybean acreage this coming year, extending a policy drive to boost oilseed harvests and cut reliance on overseas supplies in the top consumer. The country has sought to increase output of oilseeds such as soybeans and rapeseed, and cut the ratio of meal used in animal feed, as food security becomes an increasingly important priority post-Covid and trade tensions deteriorate with the US, a top supplier of farm products. In the new year, China will “stabilise soybeans” and look to focus on boosting yields, with plans to expand planting of genetically modified soybean and corn varieties, agriculture ministry officials said at a media briefing on Tuesday. Production of soybeans, the most consumed oilseed in the country, rose significantly in the past few years, thanks to increasing acreage. But farmers have suffered as the beans struggle to find a market, while the larger acreage has cut planting of other main crops ...