China's soybean crushing capacity reached 145 million tonnes by the end of 2014

From November 2014 to January 2015, a survey was conducted of 100 soybean processing enterprises with a daily processing capacity of over 1000 tonnes across more than 20 provinces and cities nationwide. The crushing capacity situation is summarized as follows:

The survey shows that as of the end of 2014, there were 159 enterprises in China with a daily soybean crushing capacity exceeding 1000 tonnes (including enterprises that can process both soybeans and rapeseed), with a combined daily soybean crushing capacity of 438,300 tonnes. Calculated on the basis of 10 months and 11 months of operation per year, the annual soybean processing capacity reached 131.5 million tonnes and 144.6 million tonnes respectively.

Shandong is the region with the largest number of soybean crushing enterprises and the largest crushing capacity in the country. As of the end of 2014, there were 28 enterprises with a daily soybean crushing capacity exceeding 1000 tonnes (including soybean protein plants), with a combined daily soybean crushing capacity of 89,700 tonnes. Calculated on the basis of 10 months and 11 months of operation per year, the annual soybean processing capacity was 26.91 million tonnes and 29.6 million tonnes respectively.

The survey shows that there are a total of 6 provinces in the country with more than 10 soybean crushing enterprises. The provinces ranked 2nd to 6th are: Heilongjiang Province with 20, Jiangsu Province with 16, Guangdong Province with 15, Fujian Province with 11, and Liaoning Province with 10.

There are a total of 9 provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions) in the country with a daily soybean crushing capacity exceeding 20,000 tonnes. The provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions) ranked 2nd to 9th are: Jiangsu Province with 54,000 tonnes, Guangdong Province with 52,000 tonnes, Guangxi Autonomous Region with 38,100 tonnes, Liaoning Province with 31,500 tonnes, Fujian Province with 26,700 tonnes, Heilongjiang Province with 26,200 tonnes, Hebei Province with 24,400 tonnes, and Tianjin Municipality with 21,000 tonnes.

Among the 159 soybean crushing enterprises nationwide, there are 72 enterprises with a daily soybean crushing capacity of 1000 tonnes but less than 2000 tonnes, accounting for 45.3% of the total number of crushing enterprises; there are 65 enterprises with a daily soybean crushing capacity of 2000 tonnes but less than 5000 tonnes, accounting for 40.9% of the total number of crushing enterprises; there are 22 enterprises with a daily soybean crushing capacity of 5000 tonnes or more, accounting for 13.8% of the total number of crushing enterprises, among which 6 enterprises have a daily crushing capacity exceeding 10,000 tonnes.

The 159 soybean crushing enterprises nationwide have an average daily soybean crushing capacity of 2757 tonnes. Among them, there are 7 provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions) where the average daily soybean crushing capacity of enterprises exceeds 3000 tonnes. Guangxi Autonomous Region ranks first with an average daily soybean crushing capacity of 5443 tonnes; the provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions) ranked 2nd to 7th in terms of average daily soybean crushing capacity of enterprises are: Hebei Province with 4880 tonnes, Tianjin Municipality with 4200 tonnes, Guangdong Province with 3467 tonnes, Jiangsu Province with 3375 tonnes, Shandong Province with 3204 tonnes, and Liaoning with 3150 tonnes.

Among the 159 soybean crushing enterprises nationwide, there are 85 private and joint-stock enterprises, accounting for 53.46% of the total number of enterprises; their combined daily soybean crushing capacity is 205,400 tonnes, accounting for 46.86% of the national crushing capacity. There are 43 state-owned and state-controlled enterprises, accounting for 27.04% of the total number of enterprises; their combined daily soybean crushing capacity is 124,800 tonnes, accounting for 28.47% of the national crushing capacity. There are 31 foreign-funded and foreign-controlled enterprises, accounting for 19.5% of the total number of enterprises; their combined daily soybean crushing capacity is 108,100 tonnes, accounting for 24.67% of the total soybean crushing capacity.

As of the end of 2014, the top 10 soybean crushing enterprise groups nationwide had a total of 71 soybean crushing enterprises under them, accounting for 44.65% of the total number of soybean crushing enterprises nationwide. The top 10 soybean crushing enterprises (groups) nationwide have a combined daily soybean crushing capacity of 261,400 tonnes, accounting for 59.64% of the national soybean crushing capacity. Among the top 10 soybean crushing enterprise groups nationwide, there are 3 foreign-funded enterprises, namely: Yihai Kerry Company, Cargill Company and Bunge Company; there are 5 state-owned enterprise groups, namely: COFCO Group (including Noble Company), Jiusan Oils Group, Chinatex Group and Sinograin Oils Company; there are 3 private enterprise groups, namely: Shandong Bohai Group, Guangdong Dongling Grain and Oil, and Hebei Hopefull Grain and Oil Group.

In 2015, at least 7 new soybean crushing projects nationwide were completed and put into operation, namely: Jiangsu Yangzhou Zhonghai Grain and Oil Phase I (2000 tonnes/day), Guangxi Qinzhou Port Qing Company (3000 tonnes/day), Sichuan Chinatex (2000 tonnes/day), Sichuan Beibu Gulf Group (3000 tonnes/day), Sichuan Chengdu Sinograin Oils Company (1500 tonnes/day), Hebei Huanghua Port Cargill Company (5000 tonnes/day), and Jiangsu Zhenjiang Sinograin Oils Phase II project (5000 tonnes/day). The 7 projects have a combined daily soybean crushing capacity of 21,500 tonnes.