China’s summer grain output hit 294.8 billion jin (147.4 billion kilograms), a record high, representing an increase of 2.87 billion jin over the previous year, despite challenges like extended autumn flooding, the pandemic and rising costs, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MOA) said on Wednesday.
Among the harvest, wheat production rose 2.57 billion jin to reach 271.5 billion jin, with high-quality varieties accounting for 38.5 percent, an increase of 1.2 percentage points over 2021.
The increase of wheat production has become a prominent highlight of the country’s agricultural sector which contributes to economic and social development this year, Zeng Yande, an official with the MOA, said during a press conference on Wednesday.
Zeng made the remarks as food security has become a global concern for development amid the pandemic and geopolitical challenges, which affected global agricultural production and supply of agricultural products.
According to Zeng, the country has created a strong foundation for early rice harvest. The area of early rice is expected to increase steadily, with the current harvest exceeding 60 percent, as the area of autumn grain reached over 1.3 billion mu (86 million hectares).
In addition, soybean acreage has also expanded, while the planting area for rapeseed totaled more than 100 million mu, with a record-high yield.
“The key to achieving a full-year harvest of food depends on the autumn harvest, which accounts for 75 percent of annual grain production,” Zeng noted, adding that this year’s fall grain area is expected to exceed 1.3 billion mu.
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, some countries have taken measures to restrict the export of food and other agricultural products, which has had an impact on global food security, Zeng said, noting that the Chinese government has responded vigorously and taken effective measures to ensure stable domestic food supply.
“Based on its own domestic resources, China has successfully addressed the problem of feeding one fifth of the world’s population, which in itself is an important contribution to global food security,” Zeng said.
Moreover, China actively fulfills its international responsibilities, helping the majority of developing countries improve agricultural production and food security through agricultural South-South cooperation, and multilateral and bilateral food aid programs.
China is the country that has donated the most funds and sent the largest number of experts to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations focused on South-South cooperation, Zeng said.
“As both China and the US are major agricultural countries, they should play an active role in jointly maintaining global food security. Since last year, China and the US have had good interaction in the sector, with both sides communicating on cooperation to enhance food security,” Zeng said.
Source:- Global Times
A harvester shuttles through wheat fields in Qingzhou City, east China’s Shandong Province, June 7, 2022. China has reaped summer grain harvest with a 1-percent year-on-year growth in total output, the country’s statistics bureau said Thursday. (Photo: Xinhua)
