Imported soybeans seen at a port in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu Province in August, 2018. Photo: IC

The nation's soybean revitalization plan is off to a good start, with the planting area of spring-sown soybeans and summer-sown soybeans both expanding, especially in Northeast China, the agriculture ministry said on Wednesday.

The nationwide soybean planting area will exceed 130 million mu (8.67 million hectares) in 2019, and increase more than 10 million mu year-on-year.

The increase, which is now in its fourth consecutive year, has improved China's domestic soybean supply capacity and enhanced the nation's confidence in coping with the complex external environment and risks, said the ministry.

China will continue to provide subsidies to soybean farmers in Northeast China, and expand trials of crop rotation to improve cultivation efficiency, and increase rewards to certain soybean producers, the ministry said.