China December soy imports up 13 percent on-year; corn exports fall 9 percent

That compared with the 1.1 percent on-year fall in November, as the government's purchase of domestic soy helped to support local prices, causing traders to seek much cheaper imports.

Soy imports in the full year 2008 rose 21.5 percent to 37.44 million tonnes, it said.

On the other hand, China's corn exports in December fell 9 percent from the same month a year earlier to 40,000 tonnes, the custom's preliminary data showed.

The decline narrowed sharply from 81 percent on year in November, improving due to the government's willingness to allow corn exports amid a domestic surplus.

However, much lower global corn prices have greatly reduced the competitiveness of Chinese corn exports.

Total corn exports last year fell 94 percent on year to 270,000 tonnes, the customs administration said.