A look at the history of soybean production in the world
There are 40 types of soybeans that grow in the form of intertwining bushes and are abundant in East Asia and Australia. According to a large number of researchers, the origin of soy is in the Northeast of China, and some others believe that East Africa and Australia are the original birthplace of this plant. Soybean spread through China in its neighboring countries including Korea and Japan, Southeast Asia and finally in the whole world. This oil seed remained the monopoly of Asia until the beginning of this century when America turned it into a commercial product.
Soya entered Brazil in 1882, but they did not realize its importance for a hundred years. Brazil is now one of the major producers and exporters of soybeans in the world.
Soybean reached England in 1790 and was planted in the royal botanical gardens of England.
Currently, the United States has the largest number of soybean fields under cultivation, which, although they are not similar in appearance, are completely similar in terms of genetics. On the other hand, the United States is the largest exporter of soybeans in the world, and together with China and Brazil, provide more than 90% of the world's need for this strategic oil seed. Soy has been a staple food in Southeast Asia for centuries and has the most household consumption. This food is mainly consumed commercially as animal and human food and cultivated for oil extraction. Currently, this oilseed is the most important leguminous seed in terms of total production and international trade.
History of soybean cultivation in Iran
There is no accurate information about soybean cultivation in Iran in the past. In the past, measures have been taken to promote the consumption of soybeans in Iran, but all these measures have been unsuccessful due to people's lack of habit of consuming soybeans and the lack of a market. In the years 1310 to 1316, varieties of soybeans from China and Indochina were brought to Iran by the then head of Karaj Agricultural College and tested. Also, during the years 1318 and 1319, different types of soybeans were imported from Germany and were tested in the Karaj Plant Improvement Company. The results of all these tests indicated good performance in the production of this seed, but due to the lack of a consumer market, it did not prosper. In 1341, Behshahr Industrial Group imported some soybean seeds from Japan and after signing a contract with the farmers, they tried to raise the level of cultivation and develop it.
Soybean cultivation as an oilseed began around 1342 with the importation of its seeds to Iran in areas of Mazandaran province, and subsequently, soybean cultivation was started by the oilseeds joint-stock company in other parts of the country. Soybean cultivation is done in two seasons: spring and summer, and the second cultivation in Iran is done after the cultivation of crops such as wheat, barley, potatoes, lettuce, and beans, and in this sense, it does not need to allocate a special land for cultivation.
The most important soybean cultivation areas in the country are the provinces of Mazandaran, Golestan, Lorestan, East Azerbaijan and Mughan plain. Since this plant belongs to the legume family, it can be used as a source of nitrogen to strengthen the soil for the next crop. Also, due to the various uses of soybeans, it seems necessary to increase its production. Of course, soybean contains on average 15-19% oil and 35-43% protein, which can be called as the most important raw material for the oil extraction industry and the production of protein products and animal feed.
Soybean production in 1357 reached its peak during the years 1355 to 1365, and this increase was caused by the expansion of the cultivated area without considering the increase in yield. The low yield per hectare (on average 1.7 tons per hectare) compared to the world average (2 tons per hectare) is one of the other factors that reduce the income from soybean cultivation in Iran. Of course, due to the importance given to oilseeds in recent years, the soybean situation in Iran has been developing in terms of cultivation and research, so that in 1371, 41,920 hectares of oilseeds were planted in the fertile lands of Mazandaran, of which Its 36,924 hectares are dedicated to soybean cultivation and its yield was 117,000 tons, which shows a significant increase in cultivation compared to previous years and an improvement in farmers' performance.