China produces more than India, the United States, and Brazil—the second, third, and fourth largest producers—combined. Yet China is far from self-sufficient. In 2025, the country imported about 185 billion euros worth of food and agricultural products, compared to exports of around 90 billion euros. China imports significantly more food and agricultural goods than it exports.
Dependence
Soybeans (used as animal feed) particularly illustrate this dependence. China imported almost 112 million tons of soy last year, valued at over 50 billion dollars. Meat, grains, vegetable oils, fruit, nuts, and dairy are also imported on a large scale. Brazil has become an important supplier in this regard.
Beijing is trying to reduce its dependence on foreign food producers. This involves not only increasing domestic production but also diversifying imports across more countries. China aims to be less dependent on the United States and is actively seeking alternative suppliers.
Promotion
Modernization
Increasing domestic production is not easy. The amount of available farmland is limited, and water scarcity also poses a problem. China is therefore trying to extract more food from the same amount of land by using better seeds, more modern machinery, more efficient irrigation, and new agricultural techniques.
Food prices
At the same time, risks on the international food market are rising. The FAO warns that food prices could rise again by the end of this year. Higher oil and natural gas prices, more expensive fertilizers, and disruptions in diesel supply are pushing up costs for farmers, transporters, food processors, and other businesses.
Adding to this is El Niño. Changing rainfall patterns may harm harvests in several key agricultural regions. In India, a delayed monsoon is already causing concerns about rice production. Australia also expects a 21 percent decrease in its winter crop, partly due to higher fuel and fertilizer costs.
Geopolitics
For China, this combination means that a large domestic agricultural output does not fully protect against international developments. The country remains reliant on the global market for substantial amounts of food and agricultural raw materials, while geopolitical conflicts, rising production costs, and unfavorable weather conditions increase uncertainty there.