(Mid-Year Economic Observation) How can a country with a population of 1.4 billion stabilize its jobs under the global food crisis?

　　China News Agency, Beijing, July 19th: How can a country with a population of 1.4 billion stabilize its jobs under the global food crisis?

　　China News Agency reporter Chen Su

　　At present, the world is experiencing severe food security challenges.

As a big country with a population of 1.4 billion, China's food problem has attracted much attention. Can China secure its own rice bowl?

How does China ensure food security?

Worst food crisis since World War II

　　In recent years, global food security has been challenged. The spread of the new crown pneumonia epidemic and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine have severely impacted the world economy, and the food supply chain has been blocked. Against the background of intensified climate change, the frequent occurrence of extreme weather has an increasing impact on food production.

　　Since last year, international food prices have continued to rise. Affected by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, in March this year, the Food Price Index of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations jumped to the highest level since the index was established in 1990.

Although the index has retreated in the past three months, it is still up 15% this year.

　　In the face of the rapidly changing international grain market, countries have "tightened" their "grain bags" one after another. According to the monitoring of the World Trade Organization (WTO), currently about 25 economies have adopted 52 export policies in response to rising food prices. Restrictions, which ban or restrict exports of food, feed and fertilizers, affect more than 8 percent of global food trade.

　　The United Nations released the "2022 Global Food Crisis Report" in May this year, warning that mankind may face the biggest food crisis since World War II.

According to statistics from the World Food Program, as of June this year, the number of people in the world with severe food insecurity and even life and livelihood threats has increased to 345 million.

China's food situation is generally stable

　　"Many developing countries that are highly dependent on food imports have very limited ability to withstand fluctuations in the international food market, and they are the most affected by the global food crisis." Jiang Wenlai, a researcher at the Institute of Agricultural Resources and Agricultural Zoning of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, told a reporter from China News Agency.

　　China is a developing country with a population of 1.4 billion, and securing its own rice bowl is a matter of global food security.

　　From the perspective of supply and demand, China's food supply is generally guaranteed.

In 2021, in the face of extreme weather and the new crown pneumonia epidemic, China's grain harvest has been bumped again. The grain output has stabilized at more than 1.3 trillion kilograms for seven consecutive years, and the granary is abundant.

At present, China's per capita food possession has reached 483 kilograms, which is higher than the internationally recognized food safety line of 400 kilograms. The Chinese people's rice bowl is firmly in their own hands.

　　Recently, the National Bureau of Statistics of China announced that this year's summer grain harvest was bumper, with an increase of 1%, laying a solid foundation for a bumper grain harvest throughout the year.

　　Jiang Wenlai said that "agriculture, rural areas and farmers" is the "ballast stone" of China's economy and society. The new crown pneumonia epidemic is spreading and the world situation is complex and changeable. The problem of food for China's 1.4 billion people is a "big problem".

For a long time, Chinese officials have always put national food security at the forefront of their work. In recent years, the emphasis on food security has been further increased, and stronger and stricter measures have been adopted to ensure national food security and promote stable production and supply of primary agricultural products.

Tightening the String of Food Security

　　Tang Renjian, China's Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said earlier this year that although China's grain harvests have been bumper year after year, it does not mean that China can sit back and relax when it comes to food issues.

From full to well-fed, the consumption structure of the Chinese people is constantly upgrading, the demand for food is still in a rigid growth trend, and the structural contradictions are becoming more and more prominent. .

Therefore, the mainspring of ensuring food security must be tightened and tightened.

　　"Faced with the volatile international situation, China's grain stability has played a positive role in stabilizing the macroeconomic market. In the second half of the year, we will continue to stabilize grain production and supply and promote the stable operation of the grain market." Li Guoxiang, a researcher at the Institute of Rural Development, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said The reporter said that the bulk of grain production lies in autumn grain, and whether the autumn grain can be harvested is directly related to the supply situation throughout the year.

　　He said that it is necessary to continue to implement the arrangements of the Central Economic Work Conference and the Central Rural Work Conference on food security, consolidate the responsibility for grain production, and do a good job of "holding grain in the land and technology", and further strengthen the benefits of agriculture. Farmers' financial support policy to promote the state support subsidy policy in place.

　　For crops such as soybeans and oils that China is more dependent on imports, Chinese officials have proposed to "vigorously expand the production of soybeans and oilseeds."

Li Guoxiang said that at present, various parts of China have successively implemented the expansion of soybean and oil planting areas.

However, according to the survey, after the expansion of soybean and oil crops in some places, there is a situation where they will not be able to grow or not grow well. It is necessary to further strengthen field management and technical guidance, and promote the continuous improvement of the planting structure.

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