Beijing, Aug. 19(Sputnik)- Russia and China have deepened cooperation in the soybean industry, with Russia ranking second in the supply of "natural" non-genetically modified soybeans to China, accounting for 26 % of China's imports of this product, the Russian Consulate General in Harbin said on Monday.
 
More than 700 representatives from China Soybean Association, agricultural companies, research institutes and centers attended the 6th China Soybean Industry International Summit Forum held in Harbin on August 17, according to the consulate.
 
"The external and internal situation is conducive to further deepening the cooperation between Russia and China in the soybean industry," the consulate general said in a Telegram message. Chinese forum participants are showing a higher interest in working with Russia due to the damage of global agricultural and food supplies."
 
It is reported that in 2021, China's soybean harvest exceeded 16 million tons, while consumption was about 109 million tons. Given the growing demand, about 10 million hectares of soybean were sown in the country in 2022, 18.3% more than in 2021. This is the highest sown area in the last five years. In addition, more than 19 million tons of soybeans are planned to be harvested this year, up 18.8 % from 2021, according to expert assessments.
 
The consulate general added that "a large proportion of domestic demand is still met by imports. The main foreign suppliers are Brazil, the United States, Argentina and Russia. Meanwhile, Russia is the second largest supplier of 'natural' (non-GM) soybeans to China, accounting for 26% of imports."

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