China's soybean imports in July jumped 24.4 percent from the previous month to an eight-month high of 5.35 million tonnes, data from the General Administration of Customs showed.

July imports, which were up 8.1 percent from a year earlier, have been largely rising since February, although total imports in the first seven months are down 5.5 percent from a year earlier at 29.06 million tonnes.

Vegetable oil imports rose 48.9 percent in July from June to 700,000 tonnes. Slower soybean imports this year are largely a result of weak domestic prices after inflation-fighting measures by the central government, including the release state soy and edible oil reserves and price caps on retail oil, hurt crusher margins.