China’s May corn imports jump 66% m-o-m, wheat dips 31.6%

Corn imports to China in May rose by 66% from a month earlier to 1.66 million mt, data from China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) released on Sunday showed.

This was however 20.2% lower than the level seen in the same month last year, with China seen cancelling corn cargo sales from the US in the current 2022/23 marketing year.

Total corn imports for the first five months of 2023 have reached 10.19 million mt, 10.6% less than the volume imported in the same period a year ago.

Meanwhile, wheat imports in May fell 31.6% from April to 1.15 million mt but was 71.5% higher than the level in May 2022.

China has brought in 7.19 million mt of wheat from January-May this year, 62.5% more compared to the first five months of 2022.

Barley imports on the other hand rose by 28% from April to 1.28 million mt – 59.7% higher than imports in May 2022 –bringing the total volume of barley shipments this year to 3.97 million mt, 19.3% more than the same period last year.

Sorghum imports in May came to 660,000 mt – 40.4% higher than the level in April but 60.8% lower than a year ago, while total sorghum imports for the year so far came to 1.64 million mt, 67.7% lower than January-May 2022.

Lastly, China’s edible vegetable oil imports in May fell by 23.5% from April to 650,000 mt, though the level was 101% higher than May 2022.

Soybean oil imports were unchanged from April and 10% higher than a year ago at 10,000 mt, with the total volume of soybean oil for the year so far coming to 130,000 mt – 34.7% higher than 2022.

Palm oil imports on the other hand fell by 34.8% from April to 150,000 mt but was higher than the level in May 2022 by 44.2%.

Total palm oil imports for the first five months of 2023 came to 1.39 million mt, a 183.4% increase from the same period last year.  

Rapeseed and mustard oil imports also fell in May by 45.2% to 170,000 mt, though the level was 47.5% higher than a year ago, with total imports for the year so far at 970,000 mt – 103.2% higher than a year ago.

Total edible vegetable oil imports for January-May 2023 were at 3.74 million mt, 129.5% higher than the same period in 2022.