March 10, 2012

China to boost edible oil supply

China should utilise potentials of oilseeds production and resources to increase its self-sufficiency of cooking oil, said Wan Ling, party secretary of Jingmen city of Hunan Province, a major rapeseed production base in the country.

Wang, also a deputy of the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature, suggested the government strengthen support to rapeseed production to improve profit in the oilseed planting. Farmers' planting interest for rapeseed has decreased due to unattractive subsidy standards, uncompetitive planting profit and low mechanisation rate, according to Wang.

China's self-sufficient rate of edible oil had dropped from 60% at the beginning of the 21st century to around 37%, and continued to follow the downward trend along with increasing consumption, noted Wang.

The country's major oilseeds include soy, rapeseed and peanut. It imported 52.64 million tonnes of soy last year, accounting for nearly 80% of domestic demand.