Research On International Competitiveness Of Soybean In China From The Perspective Of Comparative Advantage

Soybean is one of important oil crops and food raw materials, which plays an important role in food production, consumption system and medical care industry. On the one hand, it protects the oil supply, provides high-quality plant protein, and promotes the healthy development of the feed industry. On the other hand, the soybean processing chain has extended to the pharmaceutical and health care products industry, resulting in a significant additional value and economic benefits. With the development of economy, the soybean production, processing, trade and consumption have become more and more concerned by the government and the public. The sustainable development of agriculture and the country’s food security can not be underestimated.For a long time, soybean is not in the same treatment as other staple crop. Before and after China’s accession to the WTO, soybeans were not included in the scope of the policy of trade protection. After the country putting forward the basic self-sufficiency of grain, the position of soybean in agricultural policy is obviously decreased. Thus, resulting in a series of problem such as soybean planting area slowly rise, the yield level is still very low, intensive degree of processing enterprises is not enough, producer organizations degree is not high, the marketing channel is far behind. With the process of mercerization and internationalization is accelerating, more and more factors affecting the status of soybean industry in the world market. If China soybean industry is to sustained and healthy development, it is necessary to actively take appropriate measures to enhance international status and competitiveness.This paper takes David Ricardo’s comparative advantage theory, economies of scale and trade theory and competitive advantage theory as the theoretical basis. According to the theory of comparative advantage perspective, through a series of index analysis of China soybean factor endowments and economic benefits compared to the traditional advantage and to economies of scale theory as the representative of the new comparative advantage. Through the rate, trade competition index, revealed comparative advantage index as the core competitiveness index, work out the international market share, to make more comprehensive and systematic analysis of the competitiveness of domestic soybean. The research shows that international competitiveness of China’s soybean is weak, which basically lost the comparative advantage. In addition, the article explains the weak international competitiveness of soybean in China from the factor of price and non price factors deeply. The main factors are high cost, high risk, low quality, low producer organizations degree, weak technological innovation capability, and industry facing enormous challenges, loose trade policy and marketing pace undeserved. Based on the research, the methods enhancing the international competitiveness of China’s soybean mainly include:prominent the advantage of non genetically modified soybean and characteristic development road; play full role of cooperative organizations and the Soybean Industry Association so as to strengthen the level of soybean industry organizations; attach great importance to the development of agricultural science and technology and enhance the capability of independent innovation; enhance the processing level of Chinese soybean and encourage enterprises to "go out"; use the trade protection policies rationally; broaden the sales and publicity channels.