China wants to stabilize its corn and soybean production and expand it in the new year in order to secure the supply of grain, the People's Daily of the Communist Party quoted the agriculture minister today as saying.
"Ensuring security of supply of grain and important agricultural and by-products is always our top priority and priority," said Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Tang Renjian in an interview with People's Daily.
"The departments of agriculture and rural affairs must devote themselves to the production of grain with all their might, with an attitude of desperate struggle and with extraordinary and pre-eminent strength."
Tang's comments come against the backdrop of ongoing food security concerns in the world's most populous country as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt food supply chains and logistics around the world.
China's soybean production declined sharply this year from a year earlier, while corn production rose as farmers tried to take advantage of better profitability.
Tang called for the cultivation of dormant land while maximizing the potential of mixed cropping to ensure stable crop acreage in 2022, People's Daily reported.
The minister's messages came at the two-day annual labor conference held over the weekend at which China's central leadership presented similar guidelines for stable grain production and oilseed expansion, according to a state media report late Sunday.
Beijing pledged to ensure grain supplies and effective supplies of livestock, fish products and vegetables in 2022, Xinhua News Agency reported, citing comments from the conference.
"Securing the supply of primary products is an important strategic issue," said Chinese President Xi Jinping before the conference.
President Xi also called for the protection of arable land and the safeguarding of grain acreage and production in both the main production and consumption areas, Xinhua reported.
Agricultural material supplies and prices need to be secured, Premier Li Keqiang said at a meeting of the State Council or Cabinet, in the same Xinhua report.
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