China's net cereal exports grew 320 percent in the first 11 months of 2007, compared to a year earlier.

The impressive growth for the January to November period was largely a result of price increases on world markets, observers said.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, China exported 9.2 million tons of cereals in the first 11 months, up 77.6 percent, and imported 1.44 million tons, down 56.6 percent. The net exports amounted to 7.76 million tons, up 320 percent.

The total cereal exports included 1.16 million tons of rice, up 7.3 percent, 4.87 million tons of maize, up 85.1 percent, and 2.68 million tons of wheat, up 114 percent.

The total imports included 416,000 tons of rice, down 34.2 percent, 23,400 tons of maize, and 99,000 tons of wheat, down 83.6 percent. Net rice exports were 746,000 tons, up 65.2 percent, while net maize exports were 4.85 million tons, up 88.8 percent. Net wheat exports were 2.58 million tons, up 470 percent.

(Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2008)