FX.co ★ China Ends U.S. Soybean Imports for First Time Since 2018

In September 2025, China did not import soybeans from the United States for the first time since November 2018, reflecting intensifying trade tensions between the two economic powerhouses. According to customs data, U.S. imports plunged to zero from the previous year's 1.7 million metric tons. Meanwhile, shipments from Brazil soared by 29.9% to 10.96 million tons, representing 85.2% of China's total soybean imports. Purchases from Argentina also saw a significant increase, rising by 91.5% to 1.17 million tons, which accounted for 9% of the total imports. From January to September, China imported 63.7 million tons of soybeans from Brazil, marking a 2.4% increase from the previous year, and 2.9 million tons from Argentina, up by 31.8%. Overall, China's soybean imports for September reached 12.87 million tons, making it the second-highest monthly volume on record. Notably, Beijing has refrained from purchasing any soybeans from the current U.S. harvest, opting instead for South American sources, bolstered by Argentina's temporary export tax reduction.