https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2021-06-17/missing-china-grains-analyst/100219524China's decisions around its agricultural policy are becoming increasingly murky with news of arrests, secrecy, and claims of cover-ups.
Key points:- A Chinese grains analyst has reportedly been jailed and another is said to be under house arrest
- Australian grains analysts say China is suppressing information about grain shortages to keep world prices down
- China is buying up near-record amounts of grain while reporting a bumper crop of its own
Independent analysts who report on China's grains industry have reportedly been arrested and their online businesses shut down to stop them from telling the truth about the country's below-average crop.
Chinese officials are cracking down on independent information about grain pricing.
There are
reports that analysts working in Beijing for respected grains reporting firm Cofeed have been arrested or are under house arrest.
Another company called JCI, based in Shanghai, also appears to have had an employee arrested.
Andrew Whitelaw from Thomas Elder Markets says it is very difficult to get reliable details on what is happening in agriculture in China.
"The market information out of China is so blatantly propaganda," he said.
"The only way to find out is to have someone on the ground who you know is genuinely trustworthy."
Mr Whitelaw says it is harder than ever now to get accurate information out of China.
The first sign of problems with JCI and Cofeed came in April when data stopped flowing online.
He says that
according to information he has seen online, the head of JCI is "reportedly in prison [while] the head of Cofeed, apparently, is in house arrest or in jail as well".
