July 16, 2012

China's H1 pork output rise 5.9% on-year

In H1 2012, China produced 25.88 million tonnes of pork, 5.9% higher from last year, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed on Friday (July 13).

Hog inventories stood at 455.26 million heads by the end of June, up 3.5% from a year-ago period, the bureau said.

The higher inventories would help sustain a healthy demand for animal feed, including corn and soymeal. China is the world's largest soy importer and second largest corn consumer.

The bureau also put the country's rapeseed output harvested during May and June at 12.92 million tonnes, a rise of 3.7% from last year. The summer oilseed output represents about 93 of the country's total rapeseed output.

China's rapeseed imports may rise to close to a record high this year given the damage to domestic crops in major growing areas from adverse weather.

The China National Grain and Oils Information Center, an official think-tank, on Thursday lowered its 2012 estimate for the country's total rapeseed output to 12.2 million tonnes, down 9.13% from last year. The centre earlier expected rapeseed output at 12.8 million tonnes.