China diverts its rapeseed import streams

China is the world’s largest importer of rapeseed. 

In August, the country imposed preliminary antidumping duties on rapeseed sourced from Canada, after having already introduced tariffs on rapeseed meal and rapeseed oil in March. 

China still relies on imports of rapeseed and rapeseed products, however, as its domestic output is insufficient to fully meet demand.

Until May 2025, China sourced most of its rapeseed meal from Canada.

As a consequence of tariff introductions and its successful search for new trading partners, however, commodity flows have shifted substantially.

India, in particular, has become the key supplier, significantly increasing its share in Chinese imports.

By July 2025, India had emerged as the leading supplier, and this trend is assumed to continue in the coming months.

According to the Indian Solvent Extractors’ Association, rapeseed-meal exports to China reached almost 100,000 metric tons in July.

For 2025-’26, India is projected to place 1.8 million tons of rapeseed meal on the global market.

This translates to a monthly average of 150,000 tons.

With China accounting for two thirds of this total, it would be by far the most important market.

On the other hand, due to the limited number of alternative suppliers, Chinese rapeseed imports are likely to remain below the previous year’s volume.

According to research by Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft (mbH), Australia is gaining increasing importance as a supplier.

Reports suggest that the Chinese state-owned entity COFCO has recently ordered around 540,000 tons of rapeseed for delivery between November and January.

Australia had been excluded from the Chinese market since 2020 due to phytosanitary regulations intended to prevent the spread of fungal diseases.

Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft (mbH) has raised questions, however, about whether Australia—with a harvest of approximately 5.7 million tons—can fully offset the loss of Canadian deliveries, especially if it also has to serve the EU market at the same time.