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China has given the green light for imports of soybean meal from Ethiopia, according to a statement from Chinese customs, as the country seeks to diversify its protein supply sources amid ongoing trade tensions with the United States.
Starting July 3, Ethiopian soymeal that meets China’s phytosanitary requirements and is confirmed to be pest-free will be permitted for import, the statement said.
“This is part of a broader strategy to diversify supply sources and reduce reliance on imported soybeans. The volume is not expected to be large,” said Rosa Wang, an analyst at Shanghai-based agro-consultancy JCI.
The approval comes on the heels of Chinese feedmakers securing their first shipment of soymeal from Argentina since imports were cleared in 2019 — part of Beijing’s strategy to cushion against potential supply disruptions linked to the U.S.-China trade war.
While China primarily relies on soybean imports from Brazil and the U.S. for domestic crushing into soymeal, direct imports of processed soymeal remain relatively rare.
In June, China also gave the go-ahead for soymeal imports from Uruguay, adding to a growing list of approved suppliers that now includes Argentina, Brazil, Russia, and Belarus.
