BEIJING, CHINA — China, which historically has been reliant on soybean imports to meet demand, planted 10.26 million hectares of the crop, its largest area for the crop since 1958 and an increase of 1.82 million hectares year-over-year, China Daily reported, citing an agricultural official.
Soybean output rose to 20.28 million tonnes, 3.89 million tonnes more than in 2021, said Zeng Yande, chief agronomist of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, at a news conference held by the State Council Information Office.
Zeng said China’s total grain production last year hit 686.5 million tonnes, an all-time high and well above the government benchmark of 650 million tonnes for the eighth consecutive year as the country continues itsself-sufficiency push.
