China’s soybean imports from the U.S. more than doubled in October compared to the same month last year, marking the seventh consecutive month of growth. This surge is attributed to buyers speeding up shipments in anticipation of rising trade tensions if Donald Trump returns to the White House.
Trump’s campaign speeches, which included threats of tariffs, have led some Chinese importers to avoid U.S. shipments starting in January, according to traders and analysts.
Data from China’s General Administration of Customs revealed that China imported 541,434 metric tons of soybeans from the U.S. in October, up from 228,253 tons a year earlier. However, the majority of China’s soybean imports for the month came from Brazil, with a total of 8.09 million metric tons arriving overall.
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Imports from the U.S. have been rising since April, and China is on track for a record year in soybean imports, driven by a rush to stockpile U.S. soybeans. From January to October, total soybean imports reached 89.94 million tons. Arrivals from Argentina also saw a significant increase, surging to 1.36 million tons from just 1,077 tons a year earlier.
Imports from Brazil, the world’s largest producer of soybeans, rose 15% in October to 5.53 million tons compared to the previous year. Over the January-October period, shipments from Brazil increased by 13.6% year-on-year, totaling 67.8 million tons. In contrast, U.S. imports fell by 13% to 15.1 million metric tons.
China’s total soybean imports are forecast to drop to 98.8 million metric tons for the year ending September 2025, down from 109.4 million tons the previous year, according to an executive from China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation.
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