Increasing grain production key to food security

Editor's note: Last month, China issued a plan to accelerate the modernization of agriculture and rural areas during the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period. A key goal is to raise the country's production capacity of grains to around 1.45 trillion jin (725 million metric tons) by 2030, with an emphasis on both the volume and the quality of agricultural products. Tu Shengwei, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research of the National Development and Reform Commission, spoke to People's Daily Overseas Edition on why China is pushing to increase both the output and quality of grain production. Below are excerpts of the interview. The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.

Food security has emerged as a universal challenge in recent years due to the rising frequency of extreme weather events, a complex and volatile international landscape, and heightened uncertainties in the global grain market.

Thanks to sustained efforts, China has made marked improvements in agricultural infrastructure, machinery and technologies in recent years.

Major breakthroughs in agricultural science and technology have lifted the contribution rate of scientific and technological progress to agricultural growth to over 64 percent, placing China among the world's top innovators in the field. Advanced technologies, including high-end farm machinery, drones and artificial intelligence, are now widely used across production chains, sharply boosting efficiency.

By implementing the latest initiative to raise grain output, enhancing yield per unit area of staple crops, improving the quality of farmland, seeds and machinery, and adopting more efficient farming practices, the country is well-positioned to achieve the goal of increasing its grain production capacity to around 1.45 trillion jin by 2030.

Increasing the grain production capacity will ensure a sufficient supply of high-quality food. Moreover, grain prices underpin the prices of various other commodities, and ample grain output helps prevent fluctuations in food prices.

Currently, China has a secure supply of rice and wheat, with sufficient stocks of these two staple grains. However, the production capacity for high-quality rice that provides a good mouthfeel, high-gluten and low-gluten wheat remains inadequate. The plan addresses this by calling for an increased supply of these products.

To achieve this, efforts should be made in various fields to expand cultivation based on local conditions and improve mechanisms that reward superior quality with better prices to ensure that premium grain products reach the market effectively.

The plan says the production capacity of corn and soybean should also be boosted. China's grain consumption pattern is changing. The consumption of rice and wheat is declining, while feed grains such as corn and soybean are likely to become major drivers of future growth in demand.

There is a significant imbalance between the supply and demand of soybean in China, making the expansion of soybean output a top priority. The supply of high-yield, high-oil soybean should be increased.

Promoting high-yield, high-oil soybean varieties will help expand domestic supply, reduce reliance on imports, and upgrade the country's grain and oil processing industry.

The plan also calls for strengthening farmland protection and improving farmland quality. Farmland is the cornerstone of grain production and the fundamental resource for securing food supply.

Over the next five years, it is essential to enforce strict farmland protection measures, develop high-standard farmland and enhance farmland water conservancy facilities to reinforce the foundation for grain production.