March 13, 2025
China's scientists creating protein-rich corn that can replace soybeans in feed
Chinese agricultural scientists are developing new strains of protein-rich corn that can serve as a substitute for soybeans in animal feed, a potential game-changer for China's drive to reduce its reliance on overseas grain.
The country has been forced to import soybeans in huge quantities in recent years to fuel its expanding livestock industry, as Chinese consumers adopt an increasingly meat and dairy-heavy diet.
Beijing sees the growing dependence on foreign agricultural products as a threat to the nation's food security, as well as a potential issue of contention amid an intensifying trade war with the United States.
Developing higher-protein corn to replace soybeans in animal feed is seen as a potential solution, and researchers at China's Huazhong Agricultural University have already developed several promising varieties, according to the university's president.
Given China's vast corn production, an improvement of just one percentage point in the protein content of the grain could reduce China's demand for foreign soybeans by up to eight million tonnes, Yan Jianbing, Huazhong's president, told reporters during the country's "two sessions" – the annual meeting of China's top legislative and consultative bodies.
China has been placing increasing emphasis on food security amid a rise in geopolitical tensions and uncertainties in the international market.
China's soybean imports account for about 60% of the world's total trade volume for the grain, and the US has long been one of the country's largest suppliers alongside Brazil.
- South China Morning Post
