AreaChina (Mainland)
Commodity GroupOilseeds, oils and meals
CommoditySoybeans
Date01/03/2018
Policy CategoryTrade
Policy InstrumentTrade standards
DescriptionAssessed the impact of recently revised import standard for raw, unprocessed soybeans from the United States.
NotesOn 1 January 2018, stricter standards for imports of raw, unprocessed soybeans from the United States have taken effect (see MPPU Jan.18). Under the new procedure, USDAs Animal and Plant Health Inspection service is expected to notify China when a shipment exceeds 1% of foreign material. All US soy consignments, including those exceeding the threshold, will be allowed to enter the country while the U.S. sets up procedures to meet the new requirement. However, the new rules could entail additional processing at Chinese ports to remove impurities, hence raising total shipment costs. In February, USDA issued guidelines for US growers and exporters on how to reduce weed presence in soybean consignments by adopting a set of strict production and handling practices.
