China cuts corn use in feed in favor of wheat and rice

China is reducing the use of corn in feed rations in MY 2026/27 as losses in the hog sector and cheaper grain alternatives encourage greater substitution. According to USDA FAS, corn’s share in feed rations fell from 47% in January to 29% in August.

Due to weaker-than-expected demand from the feed sector, China’s corn consumption forecast was cut by 1 mln tons to 322 mln tons. At the same time, corn production in MY 2026/27 is projected at 306 mln tons, up from 301.2 mln tons a season earlier, while imports could recover to 6 mln tons from 4 mln tons.

The main reason for the declining share of corn is prolonged losses in hog farming, which are accelerating sow herd liquidation and limiting feed demand. Producers are also increasingly replacing corn with more competitively priced wheat, barley and sorghum.

Against this backdrop, USDA FAS raised its forecast for China’s wheat consumption to 150 mln tons, 2 mln tons above the September estimate. Wheat production is projected at 141 mln tons, while the additional demand is being driven mainly by feed use amid weak demand from the flour milling sector.

Broken rice has also become an increasingly important competitor to corn. China continues to import large volumes in 2026, mainly from India, Myanmar and Vietnam, as broken rice is cheaper than both corn and whole rice. This is further intensifying competition among feed grains in the Chinese market.

Tags: China, corn, rice, wheat, compound feed