Reuters – China’s soybean imports in the first two months of 2022 rose from the previous year, beating market expectations, according to March 7 customs data. China, the world’s top importer of soybeans, brought in 13.94 million tonnes of the oilseed in the Jan.-Feb. period, up 4.1 per cent from 13.41 million tonnes in the […] Read more

China’s soybean imports beat market expectations

China to give safety approval to more domestic GMO corn types
Beijing | Reuters – China plans to approve the safety of more genetically modified (GMO) corn varieties produced by domestic companies, the agriculture ministry said on Dec. 27. The move comes after Beijing last month proposed an overhaul of regulatory seed rules to pave the way for approval of GMO crops and as top policy […] Read more

China calls for overhaul of farm subsidy rules under WTO
Beijing | Reuters – China on Thursday called for the removal of “enormous” farm subsidies in some developed countries as part of Beijing’s push for reform of the World Trade Organization. “There are very unfair rules in the agriculture sector, and enormous subsidies some developed country members are entitled to, that severely distort international agricultural trade,” Wang […] Read more

China targets sow herd at about 43 million head until 2025
Reuters – China aims to maintain its breeding sow herd at about 43 million head during the period to 2025, the government said in early August, as it looks to put herd production on a firm footing since numbers were decimated by African swine fever. Following the onslaught of the disease first detected in China […] Read more

China reports first human case of H10N3 bird flu
Strain 'not a very common virus'
Beijing | Reuters — A 41-year-old man in China’s eastern province of Jiangsu has been confirmed as the first human case of infection with a rare strain of bird flu known as H10N3, Beijing’s National Health Commission (NHC) said on Tuesday. Many different strains of bird flu are present in China and some sporadically infect […] Read more

China to approve further domestic GMO corn, soy crop varieties
Beijing | Reuters — China said on Monday it was set to approve the safety of another genetically modified (GMO) corn variety and a GMO soybean, both produced by Beijing Dabeinong Technology Group Co. Ltd. The move comes after China last year approved three domestically designed GMO crops as safe, the first in a decade, […] Read more

China meat assoc calls for exporters to disinfect shipments to prevent COVID-19
Beijing | Reuters – Chinese meat importers and processors have called on exporters in countries with COVID-19 outbreaks to step up checks on shipments before they are sent to the world’s biggest market, the country’s top industry group said. “China has been importing a large quantity of meats this year, and has detected virus on […] Read more

China’s coronavirus testing chokes beef trade
Additional inspections, disinfections costly for importers
Beijing | Reuters — In a supermarket in downtown Beijing, refrigerator shelves normally filled with steak from around the world sit empty as tougher testing for the novel coronavirus creates supply bottlenecks and raises prices for importers. Fresh supplies of beef won’t arrive for days, a salesman at the Suning.com-owned Carrefour outlet told Reuters — […] Read more

Canadian canola prices spike as shippers find back door to China
'Profits are extravagant... It is like gold oil now'
Winnipeg/Beijing | Reuters — Canadian canola prices have soared to the highest in nearly two years, despite a diplomatic dispute between Ottawa and Beijing, as exporters find roundabout ways to reach top oilseed buyer China. Chinese authorities have since March 2019 blocked canola shipments by two Canadian exporters, an action they took after Canadian police […] Read more

China to encourage foreign investment in livestock breeding, plant-based meat substitutes
Beijing | Reuters – China’s state planner said on Friday that it will encourage foreign investment in livestock and poultry breeding, as well as plant-based meats substitutes, from this year. The move by the National Development and Reform Commission comes as China, the world’s top meat market, strives to boost supplies of meat and alternative […] Read more