# China’s cut to soybean consumption ‘unrealistic’ | The Western Producer

> China's agriculture ministry cut its 2018-19 soybean import estimate to 84 million tonnes from 94 million in August. The USDA's September estimate is 94 million tonnes. Analysts are divided on whether China will substantially reduce soybean use, and some expect it to source more from Brazil and Argentina.

- Date: 2018-10-04 · published 2018-10-04T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: trade · region China · magnitude medium
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/62523-china-s-cut-to-soybean-consumption-unrealistic-the-western-producer
- Commodities: [Soybeans](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SOY.md), [Soybean Meal](https://feedsoft.ai/c/SBM.md)

## Why it matters

A sharp cut in Chinese import demand would leave more soybeans and meal available for other buyers, which is bearish for soybean and soybean meal prices. The disagreement between Chinese official estimates and USDA figures adds uncertainty to the outlook.

## Read by commodity

- SBM: bearish ▼
- SOY: bearish ▼

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| SOY | 2023-04-14 | [China's soybean demand slump baffles market \| The Western Producer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/36428-china-s-soybean-demand-slump-baffles-market-the-western-producer.md) | -0.2% | -3.8% |
| SOY | 2025-07-11 | [China’s feed production rises, soybean meal consumption falls](https://feedsoft.ai/events/23726-china-s-feed-production-rises-soybean-meal-consumption-falls.md) | +0.9% | -4.0% |
| SOY | 2018-03-23 | [As trade tensions mount, China soybean buyers devise contingency plans \| The Western Producer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/65866-as-trade-tensions-mount-china-soybean-buyers-devise-contingency-plans-the.md) | +1.5% | -0.1% |
| SOY | 2026-05-14 | [U.S. Grain/Oilseed Review: CBOT falls under the weight of soybeans \| The Western Producer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/9305-u-s-grain-oilseed-review-cbot-falls-under-the-weight-of-soybeans-the-western.md) | -1.3% | -8.2% |
| SOY | 2018-07-31 | [Henan pig farmers cut soybean pulp consumption amid Sino-US tensions - Chinadaily.com.cn](https://feedsoft.ai/events/64012-henan-pig-farmers-cut-soybean-pulp-consumption-amid-sino-us-tensions-chinadaily.md) | +0.3% | -4.6% |
| SBM | 2023-04-14 | [China's soybean demand slump baffles market \| The Western Producer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/36428-china-s-soybean-demand-slump-baffles-market-the-western-producer.md) | -1.7% | -7.5% |
| SBM | 2025-07-11 | [China’s feed production rises, soybean meal consumption falls](https://feedsoft.ai/events/23726-china-s-feed-production-rises-soybean-meal-consumption-falls.md) | -0.0% | +2.2% |
| SBM | 2018-03-23 | [As trade tensions mount, China soybean buyers devise contingency plans \| The Western Producer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/65866-as-trade-tensions-mount-china-soybean-buyers-devise-contingency-plans-the.md) | +4.3% | +1.7% |

## Sources

- producer.com: https://www.producer.com/markets/chinas-cut-to-soybean-consumption-unrealistic/

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