July 14, 2026
 

China's 15th Five-Year Plan targets higher corn and soybean output as feed grains displace staples as key demand driver

Expanding high-yield, high-oil soybean production is identified as a top priority to reduce China's heavy dependence on soybean imports.

China's 15th Five-Year Plan for agriculture, covering 2026-2030, sets a grain production capacity target of approximately 725 million metric tonnes by 2030 and explicitly prioritises corn and soybean output expansion, citing feed grains as the primary driver of future growth in domestic grain demand.

Tu Shengwei, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research under the National Development and Reform Commission, said China's grain consumption pattern is shifting. Consumption of rice and wheat is declining, while demand for feed grains - corn and soybean in particular - is expected to become the main engine of growth. The plan responds to this structural shift by calling for increased production capacity in both crops.

Soybean is identified as the most pressing supply challenge. A significant imbalance between domestic supply and demand has made soybean self-sufficiency a strategic priority, with the plan calling for expanded cultivation of high-yield, high-oil varieties. Greater domestic soybean output would help reduce China's reliance on imports - currently among the largest in the world - and support the country's grain and oil processing sector.

For corn, the plan targets higher yield per unit area through improved seed varieties, upgraded farmland quality and the wider adoption of advanced farming technologies including drones and artificial intelligence. Scientific and technological progress already contributes more than 64% to agricultural growth in China, according to the researcher.

The plan also reinforces farmland protection measures and calls for the development of high-standard farmland and improved water conservancy infrastructure to underpin long-term production gains.

- China Daily