China's exports of agricultural products experienced their sharpest downfall in recent years in the first quarter of this year as the COVID-19 pandemic choked global demand and disrupted trade fairs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said on Tuesday.

Exports of agricultural products from China were $16.2 billion from January to March, down 5.6 percent year-on-year, according to Sui Pengfei, head of the ministry's international cooperation department.

Aquatic products bore the heaviest brunt, with export volume dipping to its lowest since 2012 and down by 18 percent compared to the same period last year. Exports of vegetables and tea leaves have also decreased, Sui said.

Imports of agricultural commodities in the first quarter grew by 8.9 percent year-on-year to more than $37 billion. The growth rate is lower than in previous years, with meat products and soybean registering larger increases compared to other categories, Sui said.

"It is projected that the overall outlook for the trade of agricultural products for the second quarter will not be positive. The gap between exports and imports will continue to grow, and exports will be more severely impacted," he said.

As the virus continues to ravage large parts of the globe, demand for agricultural products from restaurants, factories and schools have sunk rapidly. "Our investigation shows that since March, many export-oriented enterprises have had their orders retracted," Sui said.

In addition, major global agricultural exhibitions have been canceled or delayed due to the pandemic and nearly 180 countries and regions have imposed restrictions on international travel, which cut off domestic businesses' major routes to obtain orders from overseas customers.

"Though global supplies of agricultural products are abundant at this stage, the lockdown and quarantine measures, as well as trade restrictions, have fueled panic and threatened to further disrupt the global supply chain," Sui said.

To cope with the rising risks, the ministry will closely monitor the situation, fully implement policies aimed at stabilizing trade and explore innovative methods to boost and diversify trade, Sui said.

Despite the grim prospects for global trade, the domestic rural economy is progressing steadily, with the production of major grains and hogs registering positive trends, according to Wei Baigang, head of the ministry's development and planning department.

The thriving of wheat, which accounts for over 90 percent of grains harvested during summer, portends a bumper summer harvest, according to Wei. He added that the spring planting is progressing smoothly and the planting area of early-season rice has expanded this year, reversing a downward streak that had persisted for seven years.

In terms of hog production, the country's pig herds in the first quarter increased by 3.5 percent, or 10 million, compared to the end of last year. Sow herds have also climbed by 9.8 percent, or 3 million, during the period, according to Sui.

Meanwhile, prices of pork products, vegetables and fruits have all dropped to normal levels, and all manufacturers of agricultural materials or processing factories have resumed production.

"The rural economy will remain steady as we have braved challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic and outbreaks of pests," Wei said.