BEIJING, CHINA— China’s demand for feed continues to rise as its swine herd numbers bounce back from African swine fever (ASF), according to a Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The USDA forecasts China’s feed demand to jump 15.6 million tonnes to 249.9 million tonnes in the 2020-21 marketing year.

Corn production in the 2020-21 marketing year is forecast to total 260.7 million tonnes, a 100,000 tonne reduction, which the USDA attributes to lower planted acreage but improved yields. The country is expected to import 22 million tonnes of corn in the 2020-21 marketing year due to high domestic prices and demand to restock grain reserves.

The USDA expects China’s increased corn imports to push the country’s ending stocks to 202.2 million tonnes in the 2020-21 marketing year to restock reserves used to supply the growing feed demand.

The USDA’s wheat production forecast in the 2020-21 marketing year remains unchanged at 134.2 million tonnes. China’s feed consumption estimate for the 2020-21 marketing year decreased three million tonnes to 132 million tonnes due to reduced feed and industrial use. The USDA noted some feed mills are substituting as much as 15% to 30% of wheat for corn.

China’s rice production in the 2020-21 marketing year is forecast at 148.3 million tonnes. The USDA anticipates a higher rice consumption forecast of 152 million tonnes in the 2020-21 marketing year driven by rising feed use.