Soya is one of the world's most traded commodities and is produced on around 9.5% of global arable land. In the last 40 years, demand and production of soya have increased many times over. The main reasons for this development are the pent-up demand for animal proteins in Asia and the shift towards greater consumption of low-fat poultry meat in Western countries.

According to FAOSTAT, 350 million tonnes of soybeans were produced on 133 million hectares of land worldwide in 2022. According to the latest reports from the US Department of Agriculture, over 427 million tonnes of soybeans were produced worldwide on approximately 146.5 million hectares of land during the 2025/2026 season. The USA, Brazil and Argentina account for around 80% of total production. The largest producing countries are also the largest exporters of soya. 

The largest importer is China. In 2025, Chinese soya imports reached an all-time high of 111.8 million tonnes (customs data from the General Administration of Customs China, Jan. 2026). This is more than three times the total EU consumption, with China increasingly meeting its demand almost exclusively from South America. Until 1990, China played virtually no role as an importer.