overview
China's policies on agriculture and agricultural trade have changed
dramatically over the last 20 years, reducing the role of government
intervention and centralized planning and simultaneously increasing
the role of market forces. China's membership in the World Trade
Organization (WTO) will further increase reliance on market forces,
and will enhance opportunities for U.S. agricultural exports. As
the incomes of China's 1.3 billion people continue to rise, demand
for more and higher quality food products will grow. Domestic production
will be unable to meet all of this demand, and in the future China
will be a key market for agricultural exports.
contents
features
Is China's Corn Market
at a Turning Point? China curtailed corn exports in calendar
year 2004 and may begin to import corn during marketing year 2004/05.
Higher prices and increased shipping rates have kept U.S. corn out
of the China market, but growing demand and limited production capacity
will eventually make China a net importer of corn.
China's Wheat Economy:
Current Trends and Prospects for Imports. The last 10 years
have been a period of volatility for wheat production and trade
in China. This report provides an overview of current wheat production
and consumption trends in China, including factors that contributed
to slumping imports in recent years.
recommended readings
Where
Will Demographics Take the Asia-Pacific Food System? Expanded
urbanization, variability in population growth and immigration,
and aging populations will affect the Asia-Pacific food system in
different ways. The ability of developing countries to adjust to
rapid urbanization will be the most important demographic challenge,
testing the region's capacity to deliver a steady flow of safe,
reasonably priced food.
China Exports Outpace
Imports During WTO Year One. China became a larger net exporter
of agricultural products during calendar year 2002. China is emerging
as an importer of consumer-oriented food products.
China's
Growing Affluence: How Food Markets are Responding. Farmers,
manufacturers, supermarkets, restaurants and others in China's food
marketing chain are adapting to the rapidly changing eating habits
of Chinese consumers.
See all recommended readings...
recommended data products
Production, Supply, and Distribution
(PS&D) contains official USDA data on production, supply, and
distribution of agricultural commodities for the United States and
major importing and exporting countries. The database provides projections
for the coming year and historical data for more than 200 countries
and major crop, livestock, fishery, and forest products.
Foreign Agricultural Trade of the United
States (FATUS) provides U.S. agricultural exports and imports,
volume and value, by country, by commodity, and by calendar year,
fiscal year, and month, for varying periods, such as 1935 to the
present or 1989 to the present. Updated monthly or annually.
WTO Agricultural Trade
Policy Commitments Database contains data on implementation
of trade policy commitments by WTO member countries. Data on domestic
support, export subsidies, and tariffs are organized for comparison
across countries. This queriable database offers various options
for viewing and downloading data.
recent research developments
ERS is assessing how China's WTO accession commitments and the implementation
of those commitments will affect agricultural trade and commodity
markets. Contact: Francis Tuan.
ERS has initiated a research program examining the issue of water
scarcity and its potential effect on agricultural production in
China. Contact: Bryan Lohmar.
ERS is investigating changes in Chinese consumers' demand for food
and factors influencing these changes, including the declining role
of subsistence farming, effects of urbanization, and the rising
demand for convenience. Contact: Fred
Gale.
related briefing rooms
Agricultural baseline projections
World Trade Oranization (WTO)
U.S. agricultural trade
Corn
Cotton
Rice
Wheat
Soybeans and oil crops
related links
Documents describing China's WTO accession (tariff reductions, tariff
rate quotas, state trading, export subsidies, and other information)
are available from The
U.S.-China Business Council.
Additional data and information on China are available from USDA,
other U.S. government sources, international organizations, China's
government, universities, and other sources.
See all other related links...
for more information, contact:
Fred Gale
web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov
page updated: June 8, 2004
|