soybean

" China is the world's largest soybean importer, and most of its soybean is purchased from the United States. The country's soybean growing area decreased and output dropped by 2.7 percent to 15.9 million tons in 2006. But China's reliance on importing soybean is expected to decline in the future, as the world's largest buyer taps its production potential and takes advantage of the genetically modified (GM) free crop. The country has the ability to dramatically boost its soybean supply by improving production and quality, said agricultural officials and policy advisers at a national symposium in Beijing at the weekend. Customs statistics show China is the world's largest buyer of soybean, which has imported more than 10 million tons per annum since 2000. Efforts to expand production, plus government policy and financial support will enable China to produce at least 36 million tons by 2006。 China exported 280,000 tons of soybean between January and November last year, a year-on-year increase of 11.1 percent, according to customs statistics."