January 27, 2005

China expected to consume 127 million tons of corn in 2005
 

China is forecast to consume 127 million tons of corn in 2005.

According to experts from the Liaoning Provincial Information Center for Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, due to limited arable land and the rotation of corn and soybean in northeast China, it is impossible to see a big increase in corn production as the output of soybean is increased by 50 per cent in the region.

Feed producers and industrial sectors are among the main consumers of corn in China.

The prediction by the authoritative department shows that the feed sector consumed 94 million tons of corn in 2004 and corn consumption by the sector will remain the same or increase slightly in 2005.

In 2005, the industrial sector will consume 15.5 to 16 million tons of corn, an increase of 10 per cent over the previous year. And around 16.5 million tons of corn will be used for food in the year.