BEIJING, May 15 (Reuters) - China,
the world's top soy buyer, is forecast to import a record 66 million tonnes of
the oilseed in 2013/14 due to robust domestic demand and low stocks, an
official think-tank said.
That is 11.9 percent higher than
estimated imports for the current marketing year, ending in September, the
China National Grain and Oils Information Center said on Wednesday.
But the figure is 3 million tonnes
lower than predictions by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which put China's
soy imports at 69 million tonnes in the next marketing year - two thirds of the
world total.
China's soy imports in the current
year are likely to fall by 230,000 tonnes from the previous year due to a
reduction in global supplies, while port congestion in Brazil, the world'
second largest exporter, has also delayed some shipments, it said.
The center does not expect any major
impact on demand from outbreaks of bird flu that have already killed 35.
Current soy stocks at ports have
fallen below 4 million tonnes, their weakest since 2010, following low imports
in the first four months of the year, it said.
Demand for soymeal, the major
ingredient for animal feed production, was also projected to rise 7.1 percent
on the year in 2013/14 to 52.4 million tonnes. Chinese soy plants need about 5
million tonnes of soy every month.
The center also expects China to
import 1.1 million tonnes of soyoil in 2013/14 and 3 million tonnes of
rapeseed. It did not give comparative figures.
Rapeseed oil imports in 2013/14 were
seen at 1.3 million tonnes.