China develops high-protein corn to reduce soybean dependence 

In South Korea, ChosunBiz reported that China is accelerating the development and distribution of high-protein corn varieties, with the aim of reducing its reliance on soybean imports, which determine the protein content of animal feed. 

China depends on the United States for over 20% of its soybean imports, and with the recent escalation of U.S.-China trade tensions, tariffs on soybeans have increased, making supply chain disruptions inevitable, according to the report. 

According to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) and state-run China Central Television (CCTV), a research team led by Yan Zhenbing, president of Huazhong Agricultural University, announced that they have successfully developed high-protein corn after approximately 10 years of research, and the cultivation area has recently surpassed 667,000 hectares. The average protein content of this variety is 10%, which is 2 percentage points higher than that of conventional corn. 

China’s focus on developing high-protein corn is to replace soybeans, the report added.

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