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The state of soybeans: in 2021 and beyond


Soybeans is a crop that is now critical for sustaining the current human population, but also a crop that brings with it huge sustainability concerns. All About Feed takes an in-depth look at soybean production for livestock feed in South America and beyond.


BY TREENA HEIN, CORRESPONDENT


Since 2000, the harvested soybean area in Brazil has increased by 160%.


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lready, large areas of native habitat have been de- stroyed for activities such as pulp production, beef production and soybean cultivation, mostly for animal feed. Among plant protein ingredients,


soybeans have the highest crude protein content, about 40%, depending on their location. They also have a balanced amino acid profile, and very good digestibility. It’s no surprise then, that in 2021 (as explained in a June 2021 report in the journal Nature Sustainability), soybeans are the largest glo- bal source of protein for livestock feed. The authors, who


work at academic institutions all over the world, note that global production of soybeans has more than doubled since 2000, mostly from new acreage (about 70% of production) but also from yield gains due to advances in soybean genet- ics and cropping practices. In total, there are about 100 coun- tries where soybeans are grown.


China’s hunger for soy China’s soybean import from Brazil has surged by 2,000% since 2000, mostly for providing animal feed to support in- creasing meat consumption.” At the same time, trade ten- sions between China and the US (a country from which Chi- na also imports soybeans) are expected to result in even more soybean imports into China from South America in future. “China is the biggest source of soybean demand,” ex- plains Stefan Vogel, Global Sector Strategist, Grains & Oil- seeds, at RaboResearch Food & Agribusiness. “Generally, whole soybeans are imported by China for animal feed, mostly from Brazil and the US, with some from Argentina,


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▶ ALL ABOUT FEED | Volume 29, No. 9, 2021


PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK


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