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
Export volumes remain positive year-to-date, but weaker soybean loadings and slowing wheat movement hint at early bottlenecks in global demand or river logistics. Farmers should watch basis levels and freight conditions as export competition heats up.
October 28, 2025 10:58 AM
·
A fast-moving series of trade signals from the White House and key partners is resetting the near-term outlook for U.S. agriculture.
October 27, 2025 11:41 AM
·
Stay alert for trade announcements—especially border reopening timelines, tariff threats, and developments in Brazil’s export flows.
October 24, 2025 01:56 PM
·
Margin Protection and the new MCO add county-level margin tools — with earlier price discovery, input cost triggers, and high subsidy rates — to complement on-farm risk plans for 2026.
October 24, 2025 01:44 PM
·
Bangladesh’s buying surge offers temporary relief for U.S. farmers facing weaker Chinese demand, highlighting how global politics can reshape export outlets overnight.
October 24, 2025 10:57 AM
·
Australia’s expanding harvest and global oversupply are keeping wheat and barley prices capped, though canola markets may hold firmer on shifting oilseed demand.
October 23, 2025 10:17 AM
·
Expanding bioethanol use strengthens rural economies, supports farm markets, and positions U.S. agriculture at the center of global low-carbon trade.
October 23, 2025 10:10 AM
·
Corn and wheat inspections outpaced last year, but soybean movement remains seasonally active yet behind, keeping basis and freight dynamics in focus by corridor.
October 21, 2025 04:00 PM
·
Lawmakers are pressing for answers on how Washington’s “managed trade” approach — keeping leverage through long-term tariffs — will affect farmers, global markets, and future export opportunities.
October 21, 2025 12:17 PM
·
