Chinanews.com Harbin, October 17th, title: China opens the door to Russia's soybean market, cooperation in the ascendant
Chinanews reporter Shi Yifu
"China is the world's largest soybean importer, and 60% of the world's soybeans go to China. However, imports from Russia are less than 1 million tons." Tang Qijun, vice president of China Soybean Industry Association and president of Heilongjiang Soybean Association, said China The import of soybeans across Russia has been liberalized, and the market has been opened to Russian soybeans. The agricultural cooperation between the two countries is in the ascendant, and there is broad room for improvement in the trade cooperation of soybeans and other agricultural products.
The 2nd China-Russia Soybean Trade and Investment Matchmaking Conference and China-Russia Agricultural Finance and Insurance Seminar was held in Harbin on the 17th. Agricultural experts from China and Russia discussed deepening soybean cooperation.
The scene of the 2nd China-Russia Soybean Trade and Investment Matchmaking Conference and China-Russia Agricultural Finance and Insurance Seminar.
Photo by Wei Lai
The current Sino-Russian soybean trade is developing well. Data shows that in 2018, China imported 871,200 tons of soybeans from Russia, a record high; the import volume in 2019 was 732,500 tons, of which the fourth quarter imported 254,100 tons, an increase of 82.81% from the previous quarter. .
According to Chinese statistics, from January to August this year, China imported 490,000 tons of soybeans from Russia, a year-on-year increase of 9%; and imported 216,000 tons of soybean oil from Russia, a year-on-year increase of 2.4 times.
In the context of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, it is not easy to achieve such results.
"However, Russian soybeans still account for less than 1% of China's total soybean imports. The two sides have huge potential for future cooperation." Zhang Dong, deputy director of the Eurasian Department of the Ministry of Commerce of China, is full of hope for soybean cooperation between the two countries.
Zhang Dong revealed that at present, the two sides are actively carrying out the "pairing" work of soybean provinces and states, and initially determined that Heilongjiang-Guangdong-Primary Territory, Heilongjiang-Jewish Autonomous Prefecture, Heilongjiang-Amur Region, Shandong-Jewish Autonomous Region four pairs of soybean key provinces and states to develop For "pair" cooperation, the two parties are negotiating a counterpart cooperation agreement.
In addition, the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Food, Native Produce and Animal Husbandry will establish the China-Russia Soybean Industry Alliance with the Russian Oil and Fats Union to promote industry docking and cooperation across the industry chain.
With the unremitting efforts of both parties, the industry's attention and participation in Sino-Russian soybean cooperation have increased significantly.
The scene of the 2nd China-Russia Soybean Trade and Investment Matchmaking Conference and China-Russia Agricultural Finance and Insurance Seminar.
Photo by Shi Yifu
"Russian soybeans are not inferior to the products provided by other foreign partners in terms of quality, so we prefer to directly connect with some Chinese companies." Zelenev, deputy director of the Development and Bilateral Cooperation Department of the Russian Ministry of Economic Development Facing China’s hospitality, he also responded positively.
Zelenev said frankly that there are still problems in Russia-China cooperation in the soybean field.
For example, in the field of transportation, especially in road transportation, there are still some problems that need to be resolved.
"I hope that soybean cooperation can reach a new height and reach a new level."
Both China and Russia proposed to strive for the goal of importing 3.7 million tons of soybeans from Russia by 2024.
Zhang Dong, deputy director of the Eurasian Department of the Ministry of Commerce of China, said that China is willing to continue to strengthen cooperation with Russia in agricultural technology such as planting and breeding, and continuously improve Russia's planting area, production capacity and quality.
Through the construction of comprehensive demonstration parks for agricultural cooperation in Russia, the entire industrial chain and deep processing cooperation will be expanded to expand the import of Russian soybean oil and soybean protein into China.
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