The production of Soybean is going to be increasing day by day since from 1990 the production of Soybean grew two times the overall global economy.
In the world, the soybean is economically the most important bean. About 6–7% of arable land is used for soybean production. Soybean production will increase day by day because, from 1990 to 2008, soybean production grew twice as fast as the overall global economy.
Soybean (Glycine max) is a species of legume that is widely cultivated for its edible beans, which are a rich source of protein and oil. The protein in soy is consumed both as human food and as animal feed. The total area under soybeans is 103 million hectares worldwide. Soybean is often grown as a rotation crop in combination with cotton, maize, and sorghum.
Trends in Soybean Production:
The United States has been and continues to be the leading soybean producing and exporting country in the world. South America , Brazil , Argentina , Paraguay, and Bolivia surpassed the United States production and produced about half of what the world needed. China exports 43 percent of the world, the Netherlands exports 7%, and Japan exports 6%.
The USA produces about 3 billion bushels of soy beans, economically the most important bean. Since from 1985 the size of US soybean increase 3% per year. The main states producing soybeans are found in the Midwest: Low , Illinois , Minnesota, Indiana, and Missouri. These five states produce half of the nation’s production.
Currently, soybean production in Pakistan has a small acreage. In 1960, the soybean was introduced to Pakistan as an oilseed crop, but until 1970, its production was limited. In Pakistan, Sindh
(99% of total soybean production) is the primary growing region for soybeans.
Import and export of soybeans in Pakistan:
In Pakistan, the production of soybeans is lower. Pakistan depends a lot on the export of soybeans; the country exports about 2.5 million tons of soybeans every year .
Pakistan imports important soybeans from:
· Brazil with the share of 66%
· With USA 424 million US$
· With Canada 30 million US $
· Belize – 1.19 million US$
· Ukraine – 619 thousand US$
· China – 470 US $
Utilization:
Oil production and as a protein processor are the main uses of soybean. Mostly, soybeans are used for animal nutrition. In soybeans, trypsin inhibitors are present, which do not give satisfactory results if they are used raw . Processed forms of soybean are tofu , yuba, kinaki, etc.