China News Service, April 28th. On the 28th, the State Council's Joint Prevention and Control Mechanism held a press conference on the agricultural and rural economic development during the epidemic. Sui Pengfei, director of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said that the agricultural trade situation in the second quarter was not optimistic. Imports and exports may be further differentiated and exports will be more affected.
Sui Pengfei said that due to the epidemic, China ’s foreign trade declined in the first quarter, and agricultural trade was also affected. The increase in imports was lower than in the same period in previous years, and the decline in exports was rare for many years. Among them, imports were US $ 37.08 billion, an increase of 8.9%. Imports increased more in meat and soybeans. Exports were US $ 16.23 billion, a decrease of 5.6%. The most affected was aquatic products. The export value was the lowest since the same period in 2012, with a year-on-year decrease of 18%. Exports of specialty agricultural products such as vegetables and tea also declined slightly.
At present, the situation of the international new coronary pneumonia epidemic is still complicated, and its impact on China's agricultural trade will continue to show up, and it will take three hurdles:
First, international demand has shrunk. In particular, the consumption demand for agricultural products in restaurants, factories, schools, etc. has fallen sharply, which is very detrimental to the export of agricultural products to stabilize the market and increase orders. According to our survey, since March, many agricultural product export enterprises have encountered refunds.
The second is the obstruction of business transactions. Almost all the world's major agricultural and aquatic products exhibitions have been cancelled or postponed. Nearly 180 countries have imposed restrictions on the entry and exit of people. It is difficult for companies to obtain orders through traditional channels such as exhibitions and on-site inspections.
Third, there is uncertainty in international production and supply. The supply of major agricultural products such as global grains is generally ample, but isolation measures that closed the country and closed the city, as well as restrictions on exports by some countries, have amplified market volatility and panic and increased the risk of international supply.
Sui Pengfei said that, based on comprehensive research and judgment, the agricultural trade situation in the second quarter is not optimistic, imports and exports may be further divided, and exports will be more affected. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs will pay close attention to the global supply and demand of agricultural products and the market situation, grasp the implementation of national policies and measures to stabilize foreign trade, innovate trade promotion methods, promote the diversification of imports, promote the export of advantageous agricultural products, and play a role in the stability of the domestic market, industrial development, The positive role of farmers' income increase.