Soybean Imports to China Reached a 10-Year Low in April Due to Delays

In April 2025, the volume of soybean imports to China fell to its lowest level in the last decade. The main reason for this decline was prolonged delays during customs clearance and untimely shipments from Brazil.

This is reported by AgroReview

Lowest Import Level Since 2015

According to calculations based on data from the General Administration of Customs of China, the total soybean import for April amounted to 6.08 million tons. This is a 29.1% decrease compared to the same period last year and the lowest figure since 2015. Due to customs delays, China’s agricultural processing sector faced significant difficulties from April to early May, leading to a substantial reduction in soybean meal stocks for livestock enterprises.

According to four traders who wished to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the topic in China, transporting soybean shipments from ports to factories now takes 20–25 days instead of the usual 7–10 days.

“Processing operations have been affected,” one source noted.

Production Cuts and Recovery Prospects

At the beginning of May, several soybean processing plants in northern and northeastern China were forced to reduce production volumes, and some had to completely halt operations due to cargo overloads. Traders and analysts reported that some feed mills ran out of stocks, forcing businesses to purchase more expensive products on the spot market.

Although activity in the processing sector is gradually recovering, market participants remain cautious—delays could lead to new port overloads.

From January to April 2025, soybean imports to China totaled 23.19 million tons, which is a 14.6% decrease compared to 27.15 million tons during the same period last year. However, significant growth in imports is expected in May and June—Chinese analysts and traders predict that the monthly volume could reach around 11 million tons.