China’s soybean imports surged to 12.87 million metric tons in September, marking the second-highest monthly total on record, as ongoing trade tensions with the U.S. pushed Beijing to source more from South America. The figure represents a 13.2% increase from September 2024, when imports totaled 11.37 million tons.
This latest spike continues a pattern of record-breaking monthly imports for China this year, following peaks in May, June, July, and August. Year-to-date imports for the first nine months of 2025 reached 86.18 million tons, up 5.3% from the same period last year.
“China’s soybean supply outlook remains secure, bolstered by consistent imports from January through September, a surge in Argentine shipments during its temporary tax break, and strong purchases from Brazil,” said Rosa Wang, an analyst at Shanghai-based agro-consultancy JCI.
Most of September’s soybeans came from Brazil, which supplied an estimated 6.5 million tons, accounting for 93% of the country’s total exports, according to Brazil’s grain exporter group Anec. Beijing also secured a significant volume from Argentina, set to arrive later this year, sidelining U.S. producers during a critical marketing period.
U.S. soybean exports have yet to see any shipments from this year’s autumn harvest purchased by China. Without a trade resolution, U.S. farmers face potential losses of billions of dollars as Chinese crushers continue sourcing from South America.
Trade uncertainties persist. U.S. President Donald Trump expressed hope for discussions on soybeans with President Xi at an upcoming meeting in South Korea but later cast doubt on its likelihood. Analysts note additional risks from potential production issues in South America due to weak La Niña conditions and evolving demand for soybean meal in China.
“These factors are expected to continue influencing China’s soybean import patterns,” said Liu Jinlu, an agricultural researcher at Guoyuan Futures.
