Lishu: Truckloads of newly-harvested corn are being transported to warehouses in northeast China's Jilin Province, marking China-developed high-protein corn varieties going from the laboratory to the field, with the aim to replace soybeans as livestock feed. Lishu, a major grain-producing county in Jilin, is among the pioneers to pilot such corn production.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Qi Hongbo, head of an agricultural cooperative farm in Lishu, stated, "Our corn looks no different from others, but the protein content is 3-4 percentage points higher than that of ordinary corn." Qi, a veteran grain grower, noted that in the past, farmers focused on yield, unit weight, and water content. However, this year, the cooperative ventured into growing high-protein corn for the first time, emphasizing the importance of protein content.

This agricultural exploration in Lishu utilizes a contract farming mode, featuring centralized collection and storage for protein processing, aiming to provide a soybean substitute. With uncertainty surrounding soybean imports due to international complexities, China is exploring "soybean substitution" methods, alongside enhancing soybean breeding and production.

High-protein corn was proposed as an alternative to ease soybean import reliance by a research team led by Yan Jianbing from Huazhong Agricultural University in Wuhan. Their research suggests that a one-percent increase in corn protein content could add about 2.8 million tonnes of protein, equating to a 7 million tonne increase in soybean supply. Raising corn protein content from 8 percent to 12 percent could potentially reduce China's annual soybean imports by nearly 30 million tonnes, which is one-third of its total imports.

Data from the Ministry of Commerce shows China's soybean imports reached 105 million tonnes in 2024, valued at 52.7 billion U.S. dollars, marking a 28.7 percent increase from 2015. Soybean imports comprise over 80 percent of China's grain imports, primarily for feed protein.

China's annual corn output is nearly 300 million tonnes, but its average protein content of 8 percent falls short of feed protein needs. Qi's farm achieved a "double high" in both corn yield and protein content this year, with yields reaching 13,500 kilograms per hectare and protein content at 11.67 percent.

Liu Xiangguo, director of the Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology of Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said the academy has led research on new high-protein corn varieties suitable for local production, demonstrating good adaptability and high yields. "This year marks the first year of the industrialization of high-protein corn, which has progressed from breeding to establishing a complete industrial chain," Liu stated.

However, only a few corn varieties currently have a stable protein content above 12 percent. While corn protein is useful for poultry and ruminant livestock feed, its protein ratio remains slightly lower than required for pig feed.