USSEC North Asia recently hosted the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA)’s China Market Assessment Team.  The team visited the Chinese cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou in addition to Hong Kong from January 20-28.  The objectives of this visit were for ISA representatives to see firsthand how their soybean checkoff-funded investments are being utilized; to meet with government officials and industry representatives; and to gain a better understanding of the importance of the Chinese market to Indiana agriculture.

The Beijing itinerary included a market briefing attended by USSEC Regional Director – North Asia Paul Burke and Xiaoping Zhang, USSEC Country Director – China, where the Indiana team learned more about the overall U.S.-China agriculture trade situation.  They also heard an overview of China’s soy market and received a report from the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF).  In addition, they attended a China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-Products (CFNA) roundtable with large Chinese soybean importing firms where participants exchanged views on market conditions and futures outlook.  The ISA team also met with seed and biotech trait companies in order to learn more about current biotech approval issues in China before visiting Huadou Yukou Poultry Co., a privately owned and fully integrated layer company.  In Shanghai, travelers visited Waigaoqiao Liangyou Port to see the Panamax import terminal, grain and oilseed warehousing and a crushing plant, before touring an industrial scale soy food processor.  In Guangzhou, the team visited an integrated poultry and swine production firm and also met with the Guangdong Provincial Fishwater Species Breeding, a cooperator in U.S. soy aquaculture programming.  Visitors participated in USMEF marketing activities in both Shanghai and Guangzhou before ending their trip in Hong Kong.