June 30, 2012

China's corn imports soar 74 times      

China has imported a total of 6.22 million tonnes of corn in the first five months of 2012, soaring 377.3% from last year whereas import value increased 295.6% to US$2.13 billion, reports sina.com.cn.

During the period, the country exported 586,000 tonnes of corn, raising 19.1% from a year ago, for a value of US$360 million, an increase of 11.1%.

It imported a net of 5.63 million tonnes of corn, including 1.98 million tonnes of wheat, an increase of 618.8% from a year ago. It exported some 109,000 tonnes of wheat, falling 5.9% from a year ago. The country also imported 1.88 million tonnes of corn, climbing 74 times from a year earlier, while exporting 230,000 tonnes of such corn, an increase of 382.2%.

Imports of grain and rice rose 17.1% from a year ago to 973,000 tonnes while exports dropped 18.8% to 175,000 tonnes. China also recorded a 100.9% on-year rise in imports of barley.