Q: In the 1990s, Lester R. Brown, head of the US
Worldwatch Institute, released a report titled "Who Will Feed
China?" The report created a tremendous stir in the world and
aroused people's concern on China's grain security. Could China
produce enough grain to satisfy the needs of its 1.3 billion
people?
A: If you look at China's reality and have read the report, you
will draw the conclusion on your own judgment. Mr. Brown's
conclusion lacks solid ground and the concern is unnecessary.
? Another westerner had raised the similar question more
than 50 yeas ago when he predicted, "the new China could hardly
feed its 500-million strong population." However, the fact is the
new China not only has supported 22 percent of the world with only
7 percent of the world cultivated land, but also enabled the
majority of its people to live relatively well-off life with their
per capita income exceeding US$1,000.
?
An old Chinese saying goes "People regard food as their primary
want." The Chinese Government has always attached great importance
to grain production. From 1996 to 1999, China achieved record grain
harvests for four years running. During that period, grain output
reached over 500 billion kilograms in tree years, with supply far
exceeding demand. Though the country suffered consecutive
reductions in grain production from 2000 to 2003, they had little
effect on China's food supply due to rich stocks.
?
Of course, it should be noted that China has a huge population and
sparse land resources. The lack of cultivated land and water will
exert increasing restrictions on grain production increase. To
ensure the country's long-term grain security, the central
government has adopted a series of policies based on the principle
of depending largely on domestic production to meet demand.
?
These policies include: promulgation of cultivated land protection
legislation to ensure the supply of key agricultural produce,
especially grain; maintaining the current household contract
responsibility system to ensure long-term stability of farmland
management; increasing input into agriculture to raise
comprehensive grain production capability; exempting farmers from
all agricultural tax within five years and providing direct
subsidies to farmers for grain production, such as the purchase of
quality seeds and farming machines; setting a bottom line for the
State grain price and controlling price? rise of agricultural
production materials. A the same time, the government will
establish a unified, open, competitive and orderly grain
distribution system, improve national grain reserve system, and set
up a highly efficient macro control mechanism for grain
production.?
?
No stability without grain. This is a political wisdom that has
proved to be true in the Chinese history of several thousand years.
As the country's social and economic conditions change, China will
make timely policy adjustments to promote agricultural production
and to guarantee grain security.
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Farmers in Hubei Province harvest wheat.
"No grain, no stability" is an important part of Chinese political
wisdom. China has always attached great importance to
agriculture.