SunSirs: Analysis of China's Grain Imports by Country for January-December 2025

Overall Overview:

China's grain imports exceeded 140 million tons in 2025, a year-on-year decrease of 10.8%.

Soybean imports reached a record 112 million tons, accounting for 80% of total grain imports.

Wheat imports totaled 3.85 million tons, down 65% year-on-year.

Corn imports amounted to 2.65 million tons, down 81% year-on-year.

Rice imports reached 3.10 million tons, up 91% year-on-year.

Barley imports totaled 10.423 million tons, down 26.8% year-on-year.

Sorghum imports totaled 4.54 million tons, a year-on-year decrease of 47.5%.

According to the latest customs data, China's cumulative grain imports for the full year of 2025 reached 140.563 million tons, down 10.8% year-on-year. The import value amounted to CNY427.2 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 12.9%.

Overview of China's Grain Imports by Variety and Country for January-December:

1. Wheat

China imported 562,900 metric tons of wheat in December, a month-on-month increase of 134.87% and a year-on-year increase of 304.88%. Of this, 460,800 metric tons (81.85%) were imported from Canada, while the remaining 102,200 metric tons (18.15%) came from other sources.

From January to December 2025, total wheat imports reached 3.8508 million tons, down 7.1587 million tons or 65.02% year-on-year. By origin: Canada supplied 2.7126 million tons (70.44%), Australia 1.0206 million tons (26.5%), and other countries collectively 117,600 tons (3.06%).

2. Rice

China imported 359,000 metric tons of paddy rice and milled rice in December, a 57.3% increase month-on-month but a 4.22% decrease year-on-year. By origin: Myanmar supplied 144,600 metric tons (40.28%), Thailand 64,800 metric tons (18.06%), Vietnam 50,900 metric tons (14.19%), Cambodia 46,100 metric tons (12.84%), and others totaled 52,500 metric tons (14.63%).

From January to December 2025, total imports of paddy and milled rice reached 3.1021 million tons, marking a 90.89% year-on-year increase. By origin: Myanmar supplied 1.0434 million tons (33.63%), Vietnam 715,700 tons (23.07%), Thailand: 679,800 tons (21.91%); India: 274,800 tons (8.86%); and other countries: 388,500 tons (12.52%).

China's December exports of paddy and milled rice reached 302,700 tons, up 34.8% month-on-month and 448.84% year-on-year.

From January to December 2025, total rice exports reached 1.7603 million tons, an increase of 615,900 tons or 53.83%. By destination: Turkey accounted for 200,000 tons (11.36%), South Korea for 156,500 tons (8.89%), Papua New Guinea for 141,800 tons (8.05%), Cameroon 111,000 tons (6.31%), Libya 100,000 tons (5.68%), Japan 98,200 tons (5.58%), Côte d'Ivoire 87,500 tons (4.97%), Egypt 85,100 tons (4.83%), Puerto Rico at 71,000 tons (4.03%), Ghana at 70,500 tons (4.01%), Guinea-Bissau at 67,000 tons (3.81%), Benin at 67,000 tons (3.81%), Mongolia at 65,200 tons (3.7%), Sierra Leone at 54,500 tons (3.09%), Sudan at 45,000 tons (2.56%), and other countries totaling 340,100 tons (19.32%).

3. Corn

China's corn imports in December reached 800,100 metric tons, marking a 44.2% increase month-on-month and a 133.12% increase year-on-year. By origin: Brazil supplied 588,200 metric tons (73.52%), Russia supplied 105,400 metric tons (13.17%), with other sources totaling 106,500 metric tons (13.32%).

Corn imports from January to December 2025 totaled 2.6477 million metric tons, down 80.76% year-on-year. By origin: Brazil supplied 1.6072 million metric tons (60.7%), Russia supplied 444,000 metric tons (16.77%), Myanmar: 288,700 tons (10.9%); others: 307,800 tons (11.62%).

4. Sorghum

China imported 47,900 metric tons of sorghum in December, marking a month-on-month decrease of 90.13% and a year-on-year decline of 87.07%. Of this volume, 46,800 metric tons (97.62%) originated from Australia, while other sources accounted for 1,100 metric tons (2.38%).

From January to December 2025, total sorghum imports reached 4.5443 million tons, down 47.51% year-on-year. By origin: Australia supplied 2.2081 million tons (48.59%), Argentina 1.5259 million tons (33.58%), and other countries collectively contributed 810,300 tons (17.83%).

5. Barley

China imported 616,000 metric tons of barley in December, a month-on-month decrease of 26.66% and a year-on-year decrease of 20.18%. By origin: Canada supplied 288,500 metric tons (46.83%), Australia supplied 208,000 metric tons (33.77%), and other sources collectively supplied 119,500 metric tons (19.4%).

From January to December 2025, China imported a total of 10.423 million tons of barley, down 26.8% year-on-year. By origin: Australia supplied 5.9231 million tons (56.83%), Canada supplied 1.5421 million tons (14.79%), France supplied 883,000 tons (8.47%), and other countries combined accounted for 2.0748 million tons (19.91%).

6. Soybeans

China imported 8.0439 million tons of soybeans in December, a month-on-month decrease of 0.78% and a year-on-year increase of 1.29%. By origin: Brazil supplied 5.655 million tons (70.3%), Argentina supplied 1.6511 million tons (20.53%), and other countries totaling 737,800 metric tons (9.17%).

From January to December 2025, China imported a total of 111.8191 million metric tons of soybeans, a year-on-year increase of 6.46%. By origin: the United States supplied 16.801 million tons (15.03%), down 24% year-on-year; Argentina supplied 7.89 million tons, up 92.4% year-on-year.

7. Soybean Oil

China's soybean oil imports in December totaled 6,200 tons, down 87.91% month-on-month; a year-on-year decrease of 23.61%. By origin: Russia supplied 5,800 metric tons (93.46%), while other sources collectively provided 400 metric tons (6.54%).

From January to December 2025, soybean oil imports totaled 345,500 metric tons, a year-on-year increase of 22.49%. By origin: Argentina supplied 148,800 metric tons (43.06%), Russia 98,600 metric tons (28.53%), Brazil 93,300 metric tons (26.99%), and other sources totaled 4,900 metric tons (1.42%).

8. 24° Refined Palm Oil

China's December imports of 24° refined palm oil reached 271,300 metric tons, down 46,700 metric tons or 14.7% year-on-year. Indonesia supplied 246,600 metric tons (90.9%), while other sources totaled 24,700 metric tons (9.1%).

From January to December 2025, China imported a total of 2.5384 million metric tons of 24° refined palm oil, down 8.96% year-on-year. Indonesia supplied 2.1635 million metric tons (85.23%), while other sources collectively contributed 375,000 metric tons (14.77%).

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