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Agriculture๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ China

China Soybean Oil Production

โ€“ Soybean Oil Production refers to the total quantity of oil produced from processed soybeans within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes.

China Soybean Oil ProductionThousand Tonnes ยท 2015โ€“2023

18,00016,00014,00012,0002015: 13,998Trough2016: 14,5592017: 16,2672018: 16,6262019: 15,9982020: 16,8192021: 17,2372022: 16,8952023: 17,815Peak20152017201920212023
Source: Our World in DataLast updated: July 2026

What China Soybean Oil Production shows

China Soybean Oil Production was 17,815 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, up 5.4% on 2022. The China Soybean Oil Production dataset provides a comprehensive assessment of the country's soybean oil manufacturing performance and the development of its edible oil processing industry between 2015 and 2023.

Trend

Rising to a series high

China Soybean Oil Production moved from 13,998 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 17,815 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+27.3%), an average of +3.1% a year. The series high was 17,815 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 and the low 13,998 Thousand Tonnes in 2015.

Volatility

A 21.4% peak-to-trough swing

The gap between the series high (2023) and low (2015) is 3,817 Thousand Tonnes. The sharpest single-year move was +11.7% in 2017.

Structure

Ranks 1 of 34 countries covered

Among the 34 countries in this dataset, China ranks 1 for 2023. It accounts for 29.7% of the global total in 2023.

Full series

China Soybean Oil Production by year

Complete annual series with year-on-year change. Values are reported in Thousand Tonnes.

Scroll the table sideways to see all columns.

China Soybean Oil Production, 2015โ€“2023, Thousand Tonnes.
YearThousand TonnesChange vs prior year
2023Peak 17,815 +5.4%
2022 16,895 โˆ’2%
2021 17,237 +2.5%
2020 16,819 +5.1%
2019 15,998 โˆ’3.8%
2018 16,626 +2.2%
2017 16,267 +11.7%
2016 14,559 +4%
2015 Trough13,998 โ€”

Regional context

How China compares in Asia

Soybean Oil Production by country, 2023, Thousand Tonnes. China is highlighted.

1China
17,815
2India
2,093
3Thailand
494.8
4Japan
494
5Taiwan
458.9
6Turkey
328.3
7Vietnam
222.7
8South Korea
193.2

Data definition

Inclusions and exclusions

Soybean Oil Production โ€” โ€“ Soybean Oil Production refers to the total quantity of oil produced from processed soybeans within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes. The indicator reflects the scale of soybean processing and edible oil manufacturing and is used to assess agricultural processing capacity, oilseed utilization, and the performance of the vegetable oil industry. The data presented by Our World in Data is based on statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Inclusions

The data includes the annual production of soybean oil extracted from soybeans through mechanical pressing and solvent extraction processes. It covers crude and refined soybean oil produced for human consumption, food manufacturing, industrial applications, and export. The figures represent domestic production compiled from official agricultural and food processing statistics and standardized by the FAO to ensure international comparability across countries and years.

Exclusions

The data excludes soybean cultivation and production, soybean meal, biodiesel production, other vegetable oils (such as palm, sunflower, rapeseed, or olive oil), soy-based food products, imports and exports of soybean oil, and stock changes. It also excludes informal or unrecorded production not captured in official agricultural statistics and losses occurring during storage, transportation, or distribution after production.

About this indicator

Soybean Oil Production โ€” โ€“ Soybean Oil Production refers to the total quantity of oil produced from processed soybeans within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes. The indicator reflects the scale of soybean processing and edible oil manufacturing and is used to assess agricultural processing capacity, oilseed utilization, and the performance of the vegetable oil industry. The data presented by Our World in Data is based on statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Measured in Million Tonnes, the dataset serves as an important benchmark for evaluating oilseed processing capacity, agricultural productivity, soybean utilization, food manufacturing output, supply chain efficiency, and the overall development of China's edible oil sector. Based on the validated data, China recorded a strong upward production trend throughout the study period, reflecting its extensive soybean crushing capacity and expanding edible oil processing industry. Production increased from 14.00 million tonnes in 2015 to 14.56 million tonnes in 2016, followed by substantial growth to 16.27 million tonnes in 2017 and 16.63 million tonnes in 2018. Output moderated slightly to 16.00 million tonnes in 2019 before recovering to 16.82 million tonnes in 2020 and 17.24 million tonnes in 2021. Production eased marginally to 16.90 million tonnes in 2022 before reaching a study-period high of 17.82 million tonnes in 2023. Overall, the dataset highlights the sustained expansion and resilience of China's soybean oil industry, supported by increasing processing capacity and strong demand from the food manufacturing sector. The dataset provides valuable insights into production trends, edible oil manufacturing performance, and agricultural value addition within China's soybean processing industry. It supports year-over-year analysis, benchmarking against other major soybean oil-producing countries, and evaluation of long-term industry developments. Policymakers, soybean processors, edible oil manufacturers, agricultural producers, exporters, investors, market analysts, and researchers can use the dataset to assess production performance, monitor industry trends, identify investment opportunities, forecast future soybean oil output, strengthen supply chain resilience, improve processing efficiency, and develop evidence-based strategies that support sustainable growth across China's edible oil and soybean value chain.

Indicator
Soybean Oil Production
Country
China
Region
Asia
Unit
Thousand Tonnes
Coverage
2015โ€“2023, annual
Category
Agriculture
Last updated
July 2026
Source
Our World in Data

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Frequently asked questions

What is China Soybean Oil Production?

Definition โ€“ Soybean Oil Production refers to the total quantity of oil produced from processed soybeans within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes. The indicator reflects the scale of soybean processing and edible oil manufacturing and is used to assess agricultural processing capacity, oilseed utilization, and the performance of the vegetable oil industry. The data presented by Our World in Data is based on statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

What was China Soybean Oil Production in 2023?

China Soybean Oil Production was 17,815 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, up 5.4% on 2022.

How has China Soybean Oil Production changed between 2015 and 2023?

China Soybean Oil Production moved from 13,998 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 17,815 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+27.3%), an average of +3.1% a year. The series high was 17,815 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 and the low 13,998 Thousand Tonnes in 2015.

Which year had the highest and lowest China Soybean Oil Production?

The highest value was 17,815 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 and the lowest was 13,998 Thousand Tonnes in 2015.

What does the China Soybean Oil Production data include and exclude?

Included: The data includes the annual production of soybean oil extracted from soybeans through mechanical pressing and solvent extraction processes. It covers crude and refined soybean oil produced for human consumption, food manufacturing, industrial applications, and export. The figures represent domestic production compiled from official agricultural and food processing statistics and standardized by the FAO to ensure international comparability across countries and years. Excluded: The data excludes soybean cultivation and production, soybean meal, biodiesel production, other vegetable oils (such as palm, sunflower, rapeseed, or olive oil), soy-based food products, imports and exports of soybean oil, and stock changes. It also excludes informal or unrecorded production not captured in official agricultural statistics and losses occurring during storage, transportation, or distribution after production.

Where does the China Soybean Oil Production data come from?

The series is sourced from Our World in Data (https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/global-food?time=2023&pickerSort=asc&Food=Soybean+oil&Metric=Production&Per+capita=false&country=USA~DEU~FRA~GBR~BRA~ZAF%3BhideControls). It covers 2015โ€“2023 and is reported in Thousand Tonnes.

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