April 15, 2008

China '08 oilseed output likely to reach 47 million tonnes
 

China's total oilseeds output in 2008 may recover to 47 million tonnes, the same level seen in 2006, on increased acreage, a senior agricultural official said Tuesday.

That will slightly raise China's self-reliance on edible oil to 42 percent, said Wang Shoucong, deputy chief of the planting department under the Ministry of Agriculture.

Output of winter rapeseed is likely to be around 11.5 million tonnes, the same level as last year, he said. The impact of snowstorms earlier this year on the rapeseed crop is not as bad as the government had expected due to recent good weather, with the unit yield loss reduced to 10 percent compared with an earlier official forecast of 30 percent, said Wang.

The government will launch more policies supporting oilseeds production, including more subsidies and the strengthening of oilseeds infrastructure construction, he added.

Oilseeds output in 2007 fell sharply from 2006 as farmers shifted acreage to corn, attracted by higher profits.