Aerial photo taken on April 19, 2022 shows farmers working in the fields in Leqing City, east China's Zhejiang Province. April 20 marks Guyu, which literally means "grain rain," referring the sixth of the 24 solar terms created by ancient Chinese to carry out agricultural activities.(Photo: Xinhua)

China significantly increased grain exports on a monthly basis in April, even as more countries restricted food exports or intervened in food trade, according to customs data on Monday.

While China's April grain exports increased by 97.4 percent from March, the total export value was only 38.4 percent higher than the previous month. Fertilizer exports increased to 1.74 million tons in April, up from 1.61 million tons in March.

Analysts said that the increase in food prices was far too small compared with the increase in food exports, as international food prices are rising, while noting that China moved to increase grain and fertilizer exports, while other countries impose restrictions or bans.

Grain exports totaled 312,000 tons in April, up 97.4 percent month-on-month. From January to April, grain exports totaled 916,000 tons, according to statistics released on Monday by the General Administration of Customs (GAC).

The value of April's grain exports hit 1.01 billion yuan ($150.1 million), up 38.4 percent from March.

Canned food and meat exports increased 50 percent in March from February, while those of vegetables and edible fungi were up 48.9 percent, dried fruits and nuts up 41.2 percent, and fertilizer up 56.3 percent, according to the GAC's database. 

Exports of agricultural products totaled 190.74 billion yuan during the first four months of the year, up 18.7 percent year-on-year. The value was $29.96 billion in US dollar terms, up 21.2 percent year-on-year.

Meanwhile, according to the GAC, China's imports of commodities were more expensive in April on a yearly basis.

For example, China imported 28.36 million tons of soybeans in April, down 0.8 percent year-on-year, while the average import price went up 22.7 percent.

Analysts attributed the price hike to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, as well as grain export bans and restrictions by many countries.

As of the end of April, the number of countries imposing export restrictions on food had increased to 35, with 53 interventions in food trade, 31 of which restricted food exports.

Overall, the Russia-Ukraine crisis has had a limited impact on domestic food prices and agricultural products supplies, but it still calls for vigilance, a Beijing-based analyst surnamed Wang told the Global Times on Monday.

The conflict between Russia and Ukraine triggered a rise of international grain prices, increasing the difficulty and cost of China's imports, said Wang.

Global Times