China's soybean imports in March fell 10% below the same month last month. China celebrated its New Year celebration in mid-February.
However, imports for the entire first quarter were above the level of the reference period in the previous year. Demand is still very healthy.
The decline in March is also explained by the trade dispute between China and the US, which escalated in March. Beijing had announced plans to impose a 25% penalty on US soybeans.
Analysts assume that Chinese soybean imports will rise again in the coming months, especially since the amount of skin from Brazil is now being used.
In March, China imported 5.66 million tons, slightly more than in February, when 5.42 million tons were imported. In March 2017, it was 6.33 million tonnes.
In the first quarter of 2018, imports increased by 0.2% to 19.97 million tonnes compared to the previous year. There is good demand from feed manufacturers and oil mills.
China is by far the world's largest soybean importer by far. 60% of world-marketable beans are bought by processors and distributors in China. About 1/3 of these come from theUSA.
Text: HANSA Derivatives Trading GmbH / 
