# China's big feed shift to curb soybean imports, strain small farmers

> China announced in April a plan to cut soymeal content in animal rations to 10% by 2030, down from 13% in 2023. Smaller farmers face higher costs and difficulty adopting alternative feed methods, and insect protein alternatives remain in early development.

- Date: 2025-06-18 · published 2025-06-18T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: policy · region China · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/14653-china-s-big-feed-shift-to-curb-soybean-imports-strain-small-farmers
- Commodities: [Soybean Meal](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SBM.md), [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md)

## Why it matters

A structural cut in soymeal inclusion would reduce long-term demand for soybean meal and soybean imports, a bearish factor for the soy complex over time.

## Read by commodity

- SBM: bearish ▼
- SOY: bearish ▼

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| SBM | 2022-09-22 | [China to Cut Soybean Meal in Livestock Feed \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/39574-china-to-cut-soybean-meal-in-livestock-feed-feed-and-grain.md) | -6.3% | -9.1% |
| SBM | 2023-04-10 | [China makes an effort to reduce soybean imports](https://feedsoft.ai/events/36361-china-makes-an-effort-to-reduce-soybean-imports.md) | +0.7% | -5.3% |
| SBM | 2021-03-19 | [China looks to cut corn, soymeal content in animal feed \| Feed Strategy](https://feedsoft.ai/events/48099-china-looks-to-cut-corn-soymeal-content-in-animal-feed-feed-strategy.md) | +0.9% | -0.0% |
| SBM | 2025-06-11 | [China Nudges Pig Farmers to Restrain Supply After Prices Slump](https://feedsoft.ai/events/24184-china-nudges-pig-farmers-to-restrain-supply-after-prices-slump.md) | -3.5% | -8.8% |
| SBM | 2023-04-14 | [Food security drives China to cut soymeal use in animal feed \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/14849-food-security-drives-china-to-cut-soymeal-use-in-animal-feed-reuters.md) | -1.7% | -7.5% |
| SOY | 2022-09-22 | [China to Cut Soybean Meal in Livestock Feed \| Feed & Grain](https://feedsoft.ai/events/39574-china-to-cut-soybean-meal-in-livestock-feed-feed-and-grain.md) | -3.6% | -6.1% |
| SOY | 2025-01-01 | [China’s crop import curbs causing soybean shortage](https://feedsoft.ai/events/14701-china-s-crop-import-curbs-causing-soybean-shortage.md) | -1.1% | +4.6% |
| SOY | 2023-04-10 | [China makes an effort to reduce soybean imports](https://feedsoft.ai/events/36361-china-makes-an-effort-to-reduce-soybean-imports.md) | +0.5% | -1.6% |

## Sources

- reuters.com: https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/chinas-big-feed-shift-curb-soybean-imports-strain-small-farmers-2025-06-18/

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.