China soymeal futures hit 2-mth low amid new ASF outbreak

Soymeal futures in China slumped to a two-month low on Wednesday as bearish sentiment was boosted by new African...

Soymeal futures in China slumped to a two-month low on Wednesday as bearish sentiment was boosted by new African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks reported in China and speculation that they could lead to less soymeal usage in animal feed.

Soymeal futures contracts on the Dalian Commodity Exchange fell 2-3% across the curve with the most liquid contract down 2.36% to CNY3,269/mt ($502/mt) – the lowest level since late December last year.

The sell-off was partly driven by the latest announcement of a case of ASF found in a truck in Sichuan province with 10 piglets, two of which died from the disease, according to a statement released by China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA).

While several sources pointed to the overall market sentiment and weak demand of soymeal.

“The sentiment is too bad and the [Wasde] report was not bullish at all,” said one China-based analyst.

“The corn price is too high. And many companies have been using wheat to replace corn and soymeal in their feed,” said one feed trader.

Corn futures on the Dalian also slipped to the lowest level in a month with the most liquid contract down nearly 2% on the day to CNY2,716/mt ($417/mt).

On the contrary, hog futures on Dalian ticked up slightly with the most active contract up 0.5% to CNY28,050/mt ($4,309/mt).

What to read next
China's planned sulfuric acid export ban from May 1, historic lows for copper concentrates treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs) and a fragmenting 2026 benchmark system dominated CESCO Week 2026 in Santiago from April 13-17.
Fastmarkets launches an antimony trioxide 99.5% Sb2O3 min, exw China price assessment on Friday April 17.
Fastmarkets is amending the publication time of its price assessment for antimony trioxide, exw China from April 17 to May 11, 2026.
The decision to launch this price follows a one-month consultation that started on March 5 and ended on April 4, 2026.  The price specifications is as follows: MB-STE-0952 Electrical steel, cold-rolled grain oriented, ex-whs Eastern China, $/tonneQuality: B23R085 & 23QG085, thickness 0.23 mm, width 1,000 mmQuantity: 10 tonnes minimumLocation: Ex-warehouse ShanghaiTiming: 1-2 weeksUnit: USD/tonnePayment terms: Prompt payment upon deliveryPublication: Every second week, Friday 4-6pm Shanghai […]
The China Zinc Smelter Purchase Team (CZSPT) set its buying guidance for imported zinc concentrate treatment charges (TCs) at $35-70 per tonne for the second quarter of 2026 during a meeting held in Chengdu, China.
Fastmarkets has decided to launch two weekly price assessments for graphite flake 94% C, -100 mesh and graphite flake 94% C, +80 mesh on an ex-works China basis on Thursday April 16.