China’s growing demand for wheat imports has caused some concern that China will replace Egypt as the world’s top importer of the grain which in turn will lead to higher global prices. Frosts and wet weather earlier this growing season will cut China’s wheat output by 2.6 million tons this year. The country’s wheat imports almost tripled to 3.68 million tons in 2012 compared to 2011, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that China will hit 5 million tons of wheat imports for the 2013-14 crop year. The China National Grain & Oils Information Center forecasts that China will import 6.5 million tons of wheat from the global market in 2013-14 – the highest amount in 9 years. China has long maintained its production of 95% of its grain consumption and a senior researcher from the Academy of the State Administration of Grain states that the surge in imports is to refurbish inventories and should not lead to an increase in global prices.
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