BEIJING, CHINA — China’s largest soybean-growing province, Heilongjiang, will plant an additional 666,667 hectares of the crop in 2022, according to the South China Morning Post, citing the official news agency Xinhua.

Annual soybean output in the province is expected to increase by 1.3 million tonnes. The figure, if achieved, would add nearly 8% to the total national soybean yield realized in 2021.

More than 80% of the soybeans China consumes each year are imported, mostly from Brazil and the United States.

China’s soybean output dropped sharply last year as farmers decided to grow more corn because it was more profitable. China’s 2021-22 soybean output was forecast by the agriculture ministry to fall 16.3% from 2020-21.

The ministry estimated the land planted for soybeans in 2021-22 at 8.4 million hectares.