Imports of soybeans in China may decline for the first time in 15 years next season, according to researcher Oil World,  Bloomberg reported.

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China is expected to see inbound shipments of soyabean by its biggest importers drop by as high as four percent to 80 million metric tons in the 12 months beginning next month, as the government sells around 4.3 million tons from stockpiles and domestic production climbs.

The researcher revealed that China still has "very high" inventories," giving crushers and importers preference to use stockpiled beans in the past weeks.

"Plantings recovered noticeably by 15-20 percent, according to estimates of Chinese traders and crushers," Oil World said. "Forward buying for arrival in October to December 2016 has been subdued. This is likely to be reflected in year-on-year reductions in combined U.S. and South American soybean exports to China in coming weeks."

Meanwhile, Chinese farmers will likely increase output by over a quarter next season.

Prices also surged this year, with the US futures increasing to 22 percent and 38 percent for soybean meal, which are byproducts used for animal feed.

Last week, China auctioned more than 300,000 tonnes of soybeans from its temporary reserve, an initiative to ease the tight local supplies of the oilseed. The auction aims to alleviate the insufficiency of domestic soybeans allocated for human food supply and the expected shortfall in imports that usually goes to animal feed production.

The sale will include soybeans from the 2010 and 2012 crops, according to the National Grade Trade Centre.

"There is currently a shortage in the north for food use soybeans," Monica Tu, an analyst at Shanghai JC Intelligence, said. However, she noted that this would unlikely impact the more populous southern part of China that heavily relies on imports.

Tagssoybeans, china, imports