Modest growth in the animal protein sector is expected to raise China’s soybean imports to 97 million metric tons (MMT) in Marketing Year (MY) 23/24. Based on data from the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (GACC), imports surged following the removal of zero-COVID policies in December to reach a combined 16.2 MMT in January – February 2023, a 16% year-on-year increase.

China's removal of COVID-related restrictions is expected to boost overall oilseed consumption. However, relatively high prices for soybean meal (SBM) and low returns in the swine and poultry sector continue to disadvantage SBM inclusion in feed.

Following a significant increase in soybean area and production in MY 22/23, policies supporting soybeans are expected to continue, yielding an additional 400,000 metric tons (MT) of production in MY 23/24.

Soybean crush volume is forecast at 95 MMT in MY 23/24, compared to an estimated 94
MMT in MY 22/23. Total MY 23/24 protein meal feed use is forecast to increase by 1.4%
year-on-year to 98.1 MMT.

Vegetable oil imports are forecast flat in MY 23/24, after rebounding to an estimated 11.2 MMT in MY 22/23. Lower prices and higher demand in the food processing sector is expected to boost palm oil imports to a record 7.1 MMT in MY 23/24.

In 2022, a total of 9,658,204 pigs were recorded in Colombia, of which 59% corresponded to animals originating from technified production, 17% from commercial industrial farms, 14% from commercial family farms, and 10% from backyard farms.

The departments with the highest concentration of pigs were Antioquia, Valle del Cauca, and Meta, which together accounted for almost 50% of the country's pigs.

Technified production, which was the most representative with 5,710,266 animals, consisted of 224,040 breeding sows, 36,549 replacement females, 3,689 breeding boars, and 5,445,979 nursery and finishing pigs.

A total of 192,673 pig farms were registered, with 0.4% being of technified production, 2.1% commercial industrial production, 18.6% commercial family production, and 78.9% backyard production.

Although backyard farms (152,069) make up the largest number of farms, the number of pigs recorded was very low (1,011,131 animals) compared to the inventory of pigs housed in technified farms (5,710,266 animals), which represent the smallest number of farms (782).

The results of the survey reveal a 5% increase in the number of technified farms compared to those recorded in 2021 (745).

The figures show increases of 1.3% in the number of technified breeding sows and 7.5% in the number of breeding boars, which is in line with the increase in pork production in 2022.

One of the most noteworthy indicators is the 26.4% reduction in the number of backyard pigs, from 1,374,296 animals in 2021 to 1,011,131 in 2022, which results in greater formalization of the pig farming industry and, therefore, in greater technification and development of the industry.

The Australian ambassador visited Brazil's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock due to Australia's interest in sustainable agriculture techniques and its similar characteristics to Brazil.

In a meeting with the minister on March 8, the first conversations were held to start commercial agreements that may allow the export of Brazilian pork, as well as the import of Australian barley and wheat. Brazil and Australia must coordinate with the World Trade Organization (WTO) for the reduction of tariffs that would allow exports between them.