NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD NEWS) — China’s animal feed production grew far faster than its meat and egg output in 2025, signaling continued structural shifts in the country’s livestock and grain demand, according to data compiled by retired U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) economist Fred Gale from the China Feed Industry Association and China’s National Bureau of Statistics.
Feed output rose 27.2 million metric tons to 342.25 million metric tons in 2025, while meat and egg production increased by just 3.2 million tons. Over the past decade, feed production climbed by 142 million tons — more than ten times the 13.8 million-ton increase in meat and egg output over the same period. Swine feed alone jumped 22.5 million tons last year to 166 million, accounting for nearly half of total feed production.
The feed-to-meat ratio widened further. Swine feed output equaled 2.8 times pork production of 59.4 million tons, up from ratios near 2.5-to-1 in recent years. Poultry feed ratios were even higher. Those figures exceed commonly cited on-farm feed conversion rates, suggesting continued shifts from on-farm mixing to commercial feed manufacturing and deeper integration in China’s livestock sector.
Soybean meal held steady at 13.4% of compound feed, while rapeseed and cottonseed meal use increased. Rice, wheat, and sorghum use declined. Feed production gains were concentrated in major provinces, including Shandong and Guangdong.
Farm-Level Takeaway: Rising Chinese feed output — especially for swine — signals sustained demand for protein meals and feed inputs, even when meat production growth appears modest.
Tony St. James, RFD NEWS Markets Specialist
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