As a result of economic reforms, despite government quotas on staple grains, local government grain bureaus have both the discretionary power to import foreign grain to meet the demand of increasingly wealthy consumers. This is especially true in Shanghai where the population consists of some of the most affluent people in China. In general, Shanghainese have access to more foreign imports, food and grain products than anywhere else in China. Local Chinese people are willing to pay extra for high quality Canadian grain. Oilseeds Canada has played a substantial role in exporting quality oilseeds to China.
Oil is used extensively in all types of Chinese cuisine.
Traditionally, animal fats were used for cooking. However, Chinese people are becoming more health conscious and substituting lard for vegetable oils. Today, deep-fried dishes remain a favourite among Shanghainese, explaining the population's high consumption of oils. The average person in Shanghai uses 1.5 times more cooking oil than the national average of 11 kilograms per person annually. Soybean oil is the preferred edible oil used in Shanghainese cooking.