China’s imports of soybean rose 11.7 percent year-on-year to 7.03 million tons in the first two months, the General Administration of Customs said on March 10.

Average import price was US$462.6 per ton, up 16.6 percent from a year earlier, the customs said.

In January, soybean imports were 4.07 million tons, with price at US$464.9 a ton.

China’s imports of soybean in 2009 rose 13.7 percent to 42.55 million tons, according to the customs.