June 15, 2026
 

COFCO International and Thanakorn expand certified soybean trade into Asian feed markets

The deal shifts the bulk of their bilateral soybean volumes onto a traceable, deforestation-free standard as Asian feed buyers face rising pressure over supply chain transparency.

 

COFCO International and Thanakorn expand certified soybean trade into Asian feed markets

 

The deal shifts the bulk of their bilateral soybean volumes onto a traceable, deforestation-free standard as Asian feed buyers face rising pressure over supply chain transparency.

 

COFCO International and Thailand's Thanakorn Vegetable Oil Products have signed an agreement to expand trade in certified sustainable soybeans, directing responsibly sourced Brazilian supply into Asia's food and feed supply chains.

 

The companies announced the deal in Geneva on 9 June 2026. Under the agreement, most of their bilateral soybean trade will be shifted to volumes certified under the COFCO International Responsible Agriculture Standard, which provides full traceability, prohibits land use change from 2020 onwards, and requires farming practices that protect natural resources and respect labour rights.

 

The partnership builds on certified soybean shipments from Brazil to Thailand that began in 2025. COFCO International reported a 46% increase in certified grains and oilseeds sourced from South America during 2025, with certified flows already reaching China, Bangladesh and Vietnam.

 

To strengthen oversight, the two companies will collaborate on satellite monitoring and digital traceability systems to verify sustainability performance from farm to processor.

 

For Thanakorn, one of Thailand's largest vegetable oil and animal feed producers, the agreement secures access to responsibly sourced soybeans at a time when buyers and regulators across the region are placing greater scrutiny on sustainability credentials.

 

For COFCO International, the deal advances its broader effort to embed sustainability standards into global agricultural trade. The Geneva-based company, which employs more than 12,000 people across 36 countries, reported revenue of US$38.5 billion.

 

The agreement is taking shape against a backdrop of sustained growth in Asia's vegetable oil market. The Asia-Pacific segment is valued at US$216.41 billion in 2026 and is projected to reach US$291.35 billion by 2031, expanding at an annual rate of 6.13%. Some forecasts put the market at US$476.69 billion by 2035, with biofuel demand expected to be the fastest-growing driver as government blending programmes extend across the region.

 

Palm oil remains the dominant segment, underpinned by large-scale production in Indonesia and Malaysia. Sunflower oil is recording the fastest growth, driven by shifting consumer preferences. Demand from biodiesel production is also rising, adding a competing pull on oilseed supply that has implications for soybean pricing and availability across the feed sector.

 

Growing regulatory requirements around traceability and deforestation-free supply chains are increasingly shaping procurement decisions across Asia's feed and food industries.

 

- Milling & Grain