May 19, 2004

China Imported 1.23 Million MT Soybeans In April

China imported around 1.23 million metric tons of soybeans in April, down from 2.21 million tons in April 2003, the China Securities newspaper reported Wednesday, citing data from China's General Administration of Customs.

China imported 6.64 million tons of soybeans in the January-April period, up from 6.10 million tons in the same period last year, said the report.

In the first four months of 2004, China exported 130,000 tons of soybeans, up 23% from the same period last year.

China's official customs data is usually released on the 20th day of each month, but government agencies and state-owned media sometimes have access to the data earlier than that.

China Securities is a subsidiary of the official Xinhua News Agency.