China imported a near record 11.37 million metric tons of soybeans in September, customs data showed on Monday, after imports hit a record high last month.
Chinese traders have ramped up buying in recent months, taking advantage of a decline in global soybean prices and in anticipation of trade tensions with the US possibly intensifying if Donald Trump returns as president following the election next month.
In August, imports of the oilseed swelled to a record 12.14 million tons.
The hefty September arrivals were up 59 per cent from some 7.15 million tons of soybeans recorded a year ago, according to Reuters' calculations of customs' data.
That brings total soybean imports during the first nine months to 81.85 million tons, up 8.1 per cent year-on-year, the General Administration of Customs data showed.
China is the world's top soy importer and buys the oilseed to crush into animal feed and cooking oil.
In the United States, farmers and merchants are sitting on the highest stocks of grain and soybeans left from previous harvests over four years as they start gathering what is expected to be two of the largest soybean and corn crops on record.
U.S farmers harvested a record corn crop in 2023 and kept much of it in storage as grain prices this year dropped to their lowest levels since 2020.
The United States is the world's No. 2 soybean supplier after Brazil.