How to treat the increase in food prices and imports?

Response from the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs

  The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs announced on September 23 that the current harvest of autumn grains is a foregone conclusion. The annual grain output is expected to increase at a high level. The average yield per mu is expected to increase by nearly 2 kilograms. The total output has stabilized at the level of 1.3 trillion jin for six consecutive years.

In a year where the new crown pneumonia epidemic and natural disasters are superimposed this year, how did you get a good harvest?

A reporter from the Economic Daily conducted an exclusive interview with Han Changfu, director of the Central Agricultural Office and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

  In the golden autumn season, the rice and millet fragrant, and good news of a good harvest is spread everywhere.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs announced on September 23 that the current harvest of autumn grains is a foregone conclusion. The annual grain output is expected to increase at a high level. The average yield per mu is expected to increase by nearly 2 kilograms. The total output has stabilized at the level of 1.3 trillion jin for six consecutive years.

  This year, my country's food production has not been smooth sailing.

At the beginning of the new year, the sudden outbreak of the new crown pneumonia has brought severe challenges to good agricultural production without missing the farm.

During the main flood season, the Yangtze River Basin suffered the most serious floods since 1998. In early and mid-July, there was a summer drought in the western part of Northeast China. At the end of August and early September, three typhoons, which were rare in history, successively affected the Northeast.

In addition, major diseases and insect pests such as Spodoptera frugiperda in some areas are more serious, and the frequent occurrence of natural disasters makes food production face multiple challenges.

  In such a year when the epidemic situation and natural disasters are superimposed, how is the harvest obtained?

A reporter from the Economic Daily conducted an exclusive interview with Han Changfu, director of the Central Agricultural Office and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

The harvest comes from the same direction from multiple sources

  Reporter: The Mid-Autumn Festival will be in a few days, and the people often say "the harvest will be set on August 15."

What is the food production situation this year?

  Han Changfu: September 22 is the autumnal equinox. The agricultural proverb says, "Autumn equinox does not produce fields, and you move your swords and sickles everywhere." Autumn grain is about to enter the harvest season.

Judging from the current situation, the summer grains and early rice in the first two seasons have already been harvested. The output increased by 2.42 billion jin and 2.06 billion jin respectively over the previous year. The output of summer grains reached a record high, and the autumn grain harvest is expected. harvest.

  The bulk of grain production throughout the year is autumn grain.

The bumper harvest of autumn grain this year is mainly based on two factors: First, the area has increased significantly.

This year’s autumn grain area is expected to exceed 1.28 billion mu, an increase of 8 million mu over the previous year. In particular, the high-yield corn crop in Northeast China has increased significantly, laying the foundation for a bumper harvest.

Second, the overall growth is relatively good.

The annual grain output of the four northeastern provinces is about 350 billion catties, accounting for more than one-third of the national autumn grain.

There is a lot of rain this spring, and the seedlings are growing well.

In summer, some counties in the traditional arid area of ​​western China encountered summer drought, but the impact was limited. From the end of August to the beginning of September, the typhoon caused corn lodging. However, since corn has entered the wax maturity period, the yield of 80% or 90% of the corn is so limited.

The Yangtze River basin was flooded during the flood season, and the mid- and late-rice rice was affected, but the increase in area compensated for the loss of yield.

The autumn crops in the Huanghuaihai Plain and Fenwei Plain are mainly summer maize, which is currently in the wax maturity period and its growth is better than usual. The threat of Spodoptera frugiperda has passed and a bumper harvest is in sight.

The weather in other main producing areas is more favorable, and the growth of autumn grain is normal.

  Reporter: This year, we have encountered the new crown pneumonia epidemic, and there have been serious disasters such as floods in the south, drought and typhoons in the northeast, and major diseases and insects. Why can we still get a good harvest?

  Han Changfu: A bumper harvest in food and agriculture this year is the result of multiple forces working in the same direction.

  First, the central government attaches great importance to policies.

The leading comrades of the central government have repeatedly issued important instructions and instructions at key points in food and agricultural production.

The state has issued a series of policies to support grain production, raised the minimum purchase price of early rice and mid-late indica rice, and coordinated and integrated more than 4 billion yuan to support the restoration of double-season rice production in the main early rice production areas.

Maintaining a stable scale of subsidies for corn and soybean producers under the condition of very tight central finances has effectively mobilized the enthusiasm of local governments to focus on grain and farmers to grow grain.

It is estimated that the annual grain area will increase by about 10 million mu over the previous year.

  The second is not to fall into the unconventional way.

The State Council convened the National Spring Agricultural Production Work Conference one month in advance to make arrangements for stable food production.

At the critical time of spring plowing production, the Central Leading Group for Response to the New Coronary Pneumonia Epidemic issued the "Current Spring Plowing Production Work Guide", which strongly promoted the restoration of spring plowing production order in different regions.

In particular, with the approval of the State Council, this year's grain area will be used as a binding indicator and output as a guiding indicator to the provincial (regional, municipal) governments, which has not been available for many years.

We carry out scheduling once a week during key farming periods such as spring plowing preparation, three summer production, autumn management and autumn harvest.

Early warning information was issued, and disaster prevention and mitigation measures were implemented in a timely manner. In particular, the "four barriers" for Spodoptera frugiperda and the "three lines of defense for invasion of desert locusts" were deployed to minimize pest damage.

  The third is that God rewards hard work.

The broad masses of farmers worked hard to overcome the impact of the epidemic, promptly put down the fields to fertilize and kill weeds, prevent diseases and insects, prepare seedlings and raise seedlings, and prepare land for soaking the fields, so as to achieve both epidemic prevention and control and spring ploughing.

When floods occurred in the south, farmers rushed to harvest early rice, rush to dry it in time, rush to drain stagnant water, rush to plant late rice, and promptly replant and replant.

After the typhoon hit the northeastern region, farmers creatively modified their harvesting machinery and rushed to harvest the fallen crops in time.

At the same time, the vast number of grassroots scientific and technical personnel go deep into the front line of production to help farmers implement key technologies in the fields.

The hard work of the vast numbers of farmers and grassroots agricultural technicians has resulted in a bumper harvest in the disaster-prone years.

 This year’s harvest has three special meanings

  Reporter: Compared with previous years, what is the special significance of this year's grain harvest?

  Han Changfu: This year is the closing year of the "13th Five-Year Plan" and the year of resolute victory in the fight against poverty.

Special years, special backgrounds, and special challenges are intertwined, and it is destined to win this year's grain harvest with unusual special significance.

  First of all, securing the jobs of the people across the country provides strong support for overall economic and social stability.

China has a population of 1.4 billion, and the string of ensuring national food security cannot be relaxed at any time.

Since the reform and opening up, our country has maintained long-term rapid economic development and long-term social stability. One of the important lessons is that agriculture has a bumper harvest, food is safe, and people are stable.

This epidemic examination once again proved the special importance of ensuring national food security.

  Secondly, with food in hand and not panic in mind, we have won strategic initiative in response to the complex international situation.

At present, the epidemic is still spreading around the world. Countries all over the world want to increase the insurance coefficient of food. Some countries restrict food exports and expand imports. There is widespread concern both at home and abroad about a food crisis.

In this situation, we urgently need to make every effort to capture a bumper harvest in food and agriculture, to respond to the uncertainty of the international market with the stability of domestic food production, to achieve "grain in hand, not panic in heart", and to firmly grasp and deal with various risks Challenge the initiative.

  Thirdly, the high yields of agriculture have laid a solid foundation for poverty alleviation and a comprehensive well-off.

"Two no worries and three guarantees" is the core indicator of poverty alleviation for the poor, of which "no worries about food" is the primary indicator.

At this stage, agricultural production is still an important source of income for many farmers, especially farmers in major grain producing areas and poor areas.

Since the beginning of this year, the prices of agricultural products have generally been stable. The prices of early rice and wheat have risen steadily after the market. Corn prices have continued to rise. The market for "vegetable baskets" such as vegetable meat and milk is also good, with high output, good prices and increased income.

It can be said that this year's harvest of food and agriculture has consolidated the effectiveness of poverty alleviation and improved the overall well-off condition.

Ensuring 1.4 billion people to eat is no problem

  Reporter: This year is a bumper year. Under this circumstance, how do you view the current increase in food prices and increased imports?

  Han Changfu: First of all, our country's food security is guaranteed.

my country's grain has achieved the "16 consecutive harvests". At present, my country's grain stocks are at a historical high. In particular, the stocks of the two major rations of rice and wheat can meet the consumption needs of residents across the country for one year.

This year's food production situation is good, the market supply is sufficient, and the price is generally stable, and there is no problem in ensuring food for 1.4 billion people.

  Secondly, my country's food security strategy is "self-centered, based on the domestic market, ensuring production capacity, moderate imports, and scientific and technological support." Moderate imports are determined by my country's national conditions and resource endowments.

From the perspective of total grain imports, my country's annual grain imports in recent years are roughly 100 million tons, of which grains account for less than 20%, accounting for only about 2% of domestic production. The main reason is the surplus of imported varieties of strong and weak gluten wheat.

Grain imports have increased this year, but not much, and some corn has been appropriately increased.

Soybeans are the bulk of the import, and the annual import is 89 million tons, accounting for more than 80% of imports.

my country is a major soybean producer and the largest consumer of soybeans. The increase in soybean imports is mainly driven by the rapid growth of soybean consumption for oil extraction and feed.

In fact, domestic soybean production has been developing steadily in recent years. In 2019, my country’s total soybean production reached 18.1 million tons, the highest level in history. However, the growth of production is far below the growth rate of consumption, and imports are needed to make up for the domestic gap. In the next stage, it will exist for a long time, and it will also use two markets and two resources.

  Again, in August this year, the average price of the three major grains of rice, wheat and corn was 1.23 yuan per catty, which was higher than the beginning of the year and the same period last year.

This is a restorative increase due to the continuous increase in the cost of grain production and years of downturn in grain prices. The increase is not large and is a normal market fluctuation.

The prices of rice and wheat have risen steadily this year, while the price of corn has increased relatively more.

The rise in corn prices is due to factors such as the recovery of live pig production capacity and increased demand from deep processing enterprises, as well as factors such as capital market speculation and irrational grain hoarding.

At present, the whole society's corn inventory is still relatively sufficient. This year's corn is a good harvest year. New corn will be harvested and the supply will increase. Recently, the corn market price has begun to stabilize, and the market outlook will not increase significantly.

  The reasonable increase in food prices should be viewed in a comprehensive and rational manner. The current food prices are generally low.

Over the past 40 years of reform and opening up, the average income of urban residents has increased by more than 100 times, and food prices have risen by less than 10 times.

To ensure food supply and to ensure farmers' income, both must be taken into consideration, otherwise the phenomenon of "low grains hurting farmers" will occur.

  At present, a large area of ​​autumn grain harvest across the country is about to be harvested. We will go all out to organize the autumn harvest and dispatch agricultural machinery. There will be 2 million combine harvesters nationwide to reduce food loss during the harvesting process. We will definitely get the harvested grain to ensure A good harvest of food and agriculture in a well-off year.

(Economic Daily reporter Qiao Jinliang)