China's Corn & Wheat Imports Down 97% From Last Year

China's first customs data for 2025 feature a 97-percent decline in corn and wheat imports from a year earlier. Soybean imports were up slightly by volume (but down in value), and dairy, pork, poultry, and seafood imports rebounded year-on-year. Life was less sweet in China with a 93.7% decline in sugar imports, and drinking appears to be up as wine and beer imports posted gains.  

China's agricultural imports for January-February 2025 were down 14.7 percent from a year earlier. The value of farm and food goods imported for the first two months of 2025 totaled $30.7 billion, down $5.26 billion from the same period in 2024. China's exports of agricultural products during January-February totaled $15.2 billion, up $393 million from a year earlier. 

Data from China Customs Administration website.

As usual, soybeans were the largest component of China's agricultural imports during January-February 2025 with a value of $6.3 billion. Meat imports were valued at $4.1 billion, fruit and nuts $3.8 billion, seafood $3.3 billion, and dairy products $2.1 billion. Cereal grain imports were valued at just $1 billion during January-February. 

Data from China Customs Administration website.

Grains and soybeans accounted for most of the decline in the value of agricultural imports. January-February cereal grain imports were down $3 billion (-75%) from a year earlier. Soybean imports were down $1.14 billion (-15.3%, due to declining prices), and sugar imports were down $681 million (-93.7%). 

The value of dairy imports was up 19% year-on-year, value of imports of pork and pork offal was up 10.9%, poultry imports were up 15.5%, and seafood imports were up 5.2%. Wine imports were up 54% and beer imports were up 14.2% in the first two months of 2025. 

The quantity of cereal grain imports during January-February 2025 was down by 9.9 million metric tons, a 74.3% decrease from a year earlier. Corn and wheat imports combined totaled just 290,000 metric tons, down 97% from a year earlier. 

Corn imports were down 6 million metric tons (-97.1%) and wheat imports were down 2.39 mmt (-95.6%). Barley imports were down 1 mmt (-37.6%), and sorghum imports were down 600,000 metric tons (-37.5%) year-on-year. Soybean imports of 13.92 mmt during January-February 2025, were up 4.4% from a year earlier. 

The data for these two months was posted on the website of China's Administration of Customs on March 18. Year-on-year analysis is displayed for the two months combined to avoid distortions due to timing of the lunar new year.