Call to boost grain crops to meet needs
China, the world’s biggest grower and consumer of grains, must boost crop yields by at least 1 percent a year to ensure the country has enough food to feed its 1.3 billion people, the Minister of Agriculture has said.
The country will accelerate introduction of high-yield rice and genetically modified crops, protect farmland and raise rural incomes to retain farming interest, Sun Zhengcai said in a statement on the central government’s Website.
China’s growing incomes and population are increasing food demand even as more agricultural workers seek higher-paying jobs in cities. The nation must maintain self-sufficiency in food production because no other country can feed the world’s biggest population, Sun said.
“Our strategy must be based on stable farmland, and seeking ways to improve yields,” Sun said.
China, which harvested more summer crops, aims also to boost grain and oilseed output this year, Sun said. To ensure next year’s crops, officials must “stabilize” area planted in winter wheat and use idle land in the off season to grow rapeseed, Sun said.
Tags: food, grain, wheat