China sees progress on plantation of soybeans, oil crops

China made notable progress in expanding the amount of arable land used to grow soybean and other oil crops such as rapeseed last year, an official said Tuesday as the world's leading food importer works to curb its reliance on grain imports due to growing uncertainties over the global food supply system.

Deng Xiaogang, a vice-minister of agriculture and rural affairs, said plantation areas for soybean reached 10.4 million hectares last year, with a record yield of 208,400 metric tons.

"The planting area of oil crops in total has crossed the threshold of 13.3 million hectares," Deng told a news conference held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing.

Soybean is a major raw material used for making animal feed. Authorities had encouraged farmers to intercrop or rotate soybean with corn to increase the supply.

As part of the push, China also greenlighted homegrown genetically modified soybean varieties for commercial production on the mainland last year after a three-year trial.

China's overall grain output in 2023 reached over 650 million tons for the ninth consecutive year despite heavy rains, floods and droughts reported in multiple regions across the country.

Deng said China's food production has stronger support from technologies and equipment. For example, authorities has managed to upgrade large swathes of grainfield into high-quality farmland that can withstand heavy rains and droughts and can be harvested by machines. Breakthroughs have also been made in rolling out tractors and sowing machines that can be used on rugged terrain.