January 23, 2014
Chinaseeks self-sufficiency in grain production
Following growth in domestic grain output over the past decade, China seeks self-reliance in staple production, including wheat and rice, a senior agricultural official said.
Currently, more than 97% of key grain supplies, including rice and wheat, come from domestic crops, said Chen Xiwen, deputy director of the central agricultural work leading team, a top decision-making body for agriculture-related work.
Official data on grain imports in 2013, including rice, wheat and corn, have not been released, but Chen predicted a moderate increase to roughly 15 million tonnes, up from 13.98 million tonnes in 2012.
In 2013 the nation''s grain output hit a record high of 601.94 million tonnes, up 2.1% on-year, as shown by government data. Around 90% of the grain output, or 541.75 million tonnes, was rice, wheat and corn, he said.
"On simple calculation, China''s grain imports were less than 2.7% of its output," Chen said at a press conference in Beijing.
China''s grain imports do not suggest lack of domestic supply, but rather the need for diversified grain varieties, he said. Meanwhile, the imports are partly due to more competitive rice prices in recent years from Southeast Asia due to production increases, according to Chen.
He said that currently, soy account for the majority of Chinese grain imports, and predicted increases in corn imports to be used as feed and industrial materials.
Meanwhile, the wider use of machinery for farm work has greatly helped lift productivity. Chen said that 59% of farm work, including plowing, seeding and reaping, was done by machines in 2013, even though China''s high-power machinery still comes from abroad.
Key Chineseauthoritieshas assured thatthe nation will make more efforts to ensurefirm security of staples and maintain grain self-sufficiency. However, the country faces challenges in meeting the target.
China''s grain production is affected by strained supplies of farmland and water resources despite consecutive bumper harvests. China''s per capita arable land is only around half the world''s average, and overuse of aquifers has been draining the country''s underground water resources quickly, said Tang Renjian, also a deputy director of the central agricultural work leading team.
Tang said that soil contamination due to excessive use of fertilisers, farm chemicals and mulch film also weighs negatively on production. He said that China uses around 58 million tonnes of fertiliser, 1.8 million tonnes of pesticides and 2.4 million tonnes of mulch film per year.
Solutions to the problem include rearranging crop growth in some heavily polluted regions, converting overexploited farmland to forest, and more fiscal investment to mitigate negative impacts, Tang said.
A policy document issued by China''s top authorities is designed to address the challenges. It said that China will enhance its national food security, deepen reforms and improve rural governance, and step up financial support and protection for agriculture.
The document detailed a raft of measures and reforms related to the "three rural issues" -- agriculture, rural areas and farmers. It aims for greater achievements in agricultural modernisation and progress in building the "new countryside."