Breakthroughs in tech lift soybean production

The latest genome-editing technologies have also been used to develop new soybean cultivars that can adapt to low-latitude areas in southern China.

The research, which used a genome-editing tool known as CRISPR/Cas9 to "knock out" two key genes that regulate soybean flowering time and maturity, made it possible to promote soybeans in tropical regions, Han said.

Existing major programs funded by the government, such as China Agricultural Research System, which incorporates agricultural researchers across China in various disciplines and covers 50 industries, have played an important role in the elevation of agricultural research and development, he said, adding more progress is expected in the next few years.

Although the soybean is native to China, the country has relied on imports, mostly from Brazil and the United States, to meet increasing domestic demand for edible oil and animal protein. Most of the 88.5 million tons of soybean it imported last year－accounting for more than 80 percent of domestic consumption－was processed into oil and animal feed.

"Compared with major crops such as rice, wheat and corn, soybean has much lower yields and requires more land, which is a major reason why it has not been promoted as extensively in China because of limited arable land," Han said.

However, efforts on improving production of soybean in China have never stopped, Han said.

Last year, total soybean production in China exceeded 18 million tons－a historic high and an increase of 13 percent compared with the previous year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

"To rejuvenate soybean production, more investment is needed in the next few years in soybean scientific research and improving the application of the latest technological achievements, such as new soybean strains created by biotechnology," Han said.

Meanwhile, with big gaps expected to remain between domestic supply and demand, changing unhealthy eating habits that rely on too much oil and animal protein can also reduce demand for soybeans, he said. Thus, domestic supply could meet demand and China would rely less on imports.