China’s Soybean Imports From U.S. Jump 84% in First Two Months

By Ella Cao and Mei Mei Chu

BEIJING, March 20 (Reuters) – China’s soybean imports from the United States jumped 84.1% in the first two months of 2025 compared with a year ago, but competitive pricing and a trade standoff with the U.S. is expected to boost purchases from Brazil in the months ahead.

As the world’s top buyer of soybeans, China brought in 9.13 million metric tons of the oilseed from the U.S. in January-February, up from 4.96 million tons in 2024.

“The rise in U.S. soybean imports is mainly due to the Trump effect, where concerns about higher tariffs led to a rush in purchasing,” Rosa Wang, analyst at Shanghai-based agro-consultancy JCI, said.

Brazil’s delayed planting also raised expectations of a late harvest, leading to more U.S. soybeans being purchased to fill the gap, Wang added.

Imports from Brazil in January-February fell 48.4% to 3.59 million metric tons from 6.96 million tons in 2024.

Total imports in the January-February period climbed 4.4% to 13.61 million metric tons, customs data showed earlier this month, as U.S. cargoes confirmed before U.S. President Donald Trump took office arrived, but traders are expecting a drop in March. CNC-SOY-IMP

Earlier this month, Beijing retaliated against new U.S. tariffs by raising duties on $21 billion worth of agricultural products, including soybeans, fuelling expectations that China will look to boost Brazilian supplies.

Brazil, the world’s largest soybean exporter, competes with the U.S. for sales to key markets like China.

The South American nation is currently in the midst of a bumper harvest and incoming shipments are expected to boost China’s second quarter imports to a record high.

Brazil’s soybean harvest for the 2024/25 season reached 70% of the planted area as of last Thursday, agribusiness consultancy AgRural said on Monday, representing the strongest pace for this time of year in at least 14 years.

(Reporting by Ella Cao and Mei Mei Chu; Editing by Kate Mayberry)