Net food imports by crop - Soybeans in China

China: Net food imports by crop - Soybeans was 91.29 million in 2019. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2019)
91.29 million
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
1st
of 165 countries
All-time high
98.10 million
in 2017
All-time low
83,308
in 1962
Years of data
59
1961–2019

Net food imports by crop - Soybeans in China, 1961–2019

020.0M40.0M60.0M80.0M100.0M196119902019

Source: FAOSTAT. Available at: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data.

Analysis

In 2019, net food imports by crop - soybeans in China stood at 91.29 million.

That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 103.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, net food imports by crop - soybeans in China peaked at 98.10 million in 2017 and was at its lowest, 83,308, in 1962.

China ranks 1st of 165 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Net food imports by crop - Soybeans in China, year by year

Annual values for Net food imports by crop - Soybeans in China, 1961 to 2019.
Year Value Change
1961 173,436 —
1962 83,308 -52.0%
1963 200,860 +141.1%
1964 193,920 -3.5%
1965 163,970 -15.4%
1966 183,929 +12.2%
1967 371,900 +102.2%
1968 403,125 +8.4%
1969 489,491 +21.4%
1970 636,964 +30.1%
1971 543,226 -14.7%
1972 729,769 +34.3%
1973 772,018 +5.8%
1974 1.19 million +54.6%
1975 870,782 -27.0%
1976 854,589 -1.9%
1977 1.01 million +17.9%
1978 1.17 million +16.4%
1979 1.70 million +45.0%
1980 1.54 million -9.7%
1981 1.70 million +10.8%
1982 1.54 million -9.4%
1983 1.44 million -6.7%
1984 1.37 million -4.8%
1985 1.50 million +9.2%
1986 2.06 million +37.6%
1987 2.27 million +10.1%
1988 2.28 million +0.6%
1989 1.84 million -19.2%
1990 2.02 million +9.9%
1991 1.99 million -1.5%
1992 2.39 million +20.0%
1993 2.57 million +7.6%
1994 2.48 million -3.6%
1995 2.91 million +17.4%
1996 3.84 million +31.8%
1997 5.66 million +47.7%
1998 5.23 million -7.8%
1999 6.71 million +28.4%
2000 12.76 million +90.2%
2001 16.42 million +28.7%
2002 13.88 million -15.5%
2003 23.22 million +67.3%
2004 22.29 million -4.0%
2005 29.07 million +30.4%
2006 30.68 million +5.6%
2007 33.07 million +7.8%
2008 39.55 million +19.6%
2009 44.94 million +13.6%
2010 57.37 million +27.7%
2011 54.83 million -4.4%
2012 60.76 million +10.8%
2013 65.55 million +7.9%
2014 73.81 million +12.6%
2015 84.41 million +14.4%
2016 86.39 million +2.3%
2017 98.10 million +13.6%
2018 90.69 million -7.6%
2019 91.29 million +0.7%

China compared with similar countries

  • China's 91.29 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1,314, 69473.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
  • China's 91.29 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 1,968, 46386.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Net food imports by crop - Soybeans in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1963 +141.1% 83,308 200,860

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 251,549 83,308 489,491 9
1970s 948,341 543,226 1.70 million 10
1980s 1.75 million 1.37 million 2.28 million 10
1990s 3.58 million 1.99 million 6.71 million 10
2000s 26.59 million 12.76 million 44.94 million 10
2010s 76.32 million 54.83 million 98.10 million 10

Countries ranked near China

  1. 2 Mexico 4.85 million compare
  2. 3 Egypt 4.26 million compare
  3. 4 Netherlands 4.02 million compare

See the full ranking of 165 places →

More reference data data for China

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is net food imports by crop - soybeans in China?
Net food imports by crop - soybeans in China was 91.29 million in 2019, according to FAOSTAT. Available at: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data.
What is the highest net food imports by crop - soybeans recorded in China?
The highest recorded value was 98.10 million in 2017.
What is the lowest net food imports by crop - soybeans recorded in China?
The lowest recorded value was 83,308 in 1962.
How does China rank for net food imports by crop - soybeans?
China ranks 1st out of 165 countries with data for 2019.
Is net food imports by crop - soybeans rising or falling in China?
Over the last ten years it is up 103.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this China data come from?
The figures come from FAOSTAT. Available at: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data, published as part of Net food imports by crop - Soybeans. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Net food imports by crop - Soybeans in China. Statizoid, drawing on FAOSTAT. Available at: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data. Retrieved 29 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/net-food-imports-by-crop-soybeans/china/

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About this data

Indicator
Net food imports by crop - Soybeans
Source
FAOSTAT. Available at: http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
165 places, 6,626 data points, 1961–2019
Last refreshed

Net food imports are generated from FAOSTAT, taking Export level (tonnes) from the Import level (tonnes) [both under Trade: Crops and Livestock Products]. Net food imports are a proxy for the country's vulnerability to global food prices.