(Economic Observation) How can China stabilize its “rice bowl” during the epidemic situation?

　　China News Agency, Beijing, September 5 (Reporter Chen Su) Under the double attack of the new crown pneumonia epidemic and floods, how China can ensure food security for 1.4 billion people has attracted much attention.

Official statistics show that China has firmly grasped the "farming time", achieved a good grain harvest, and firmly secured the "rice bowl" in its hands.

　　According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China, China has had a bumper harvest of summer grain and early rice this year: summer grain output was 285.6 billion jin, an increase of 2.42 billion jin over the previous year; early rice output was 54.6 billion jin, an increase of 2.06 billion jin over the previous year, reversing the seven consecutive years of decline. The situation.

　　Food is the top priority for the people, and agriculture is the foundation of the economy and the "ballast stone" of economic recovery.

Chinese officials have always put grain production in the first place to resume production and work.

After the Spring Festival, when the epidemic was initially brought under control and various industries resumed production and work, the agricultural sector implemented the deployment of "not missing farming hours" and was the first to resume production.

　　In late February, Chinese senior officials set about intensively deploying spring agricultural production, proposing that "the more we face risks and challenges, the more we must stabilize agriculture, and the more we must ensure the safety of food and important non-staple foods." In farming hours, ensure a bumper harvest of summer grains" and support a series of measures to break through the blockages caused by the epidemic, such as the supply of agricultural materials, agricultural machinery operations, and farmers’ going to the fields, to "give the green light" to agricultural production and promote smooth resumption of production.

　　Since June, China has suffered the worst flood since 1998, and food production has been tested again.

Wang Ge, deputy director of the National Agricultural Technology Center, said that flood conditions have had a greater impact on rice production in some areas. In some areas, early rice fields could not be harvested in time, and some late rice seedling fields were flooded and the quality of seedlings was deviated.

　　Autumn grain accounts for three-quarters of the annual grain production. In the face of heavy floods, what is the situation of China's food security in the later period?

　　Nie Fengying, a researcher at the Institute of Agricultural Information of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said that statistics show that 6.0326 million hectares of crops have been damaged by floods in the south this year, of which 1.408 million hectares have no harvest, mainly in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the Huaihe region. In 2019, China’s grain sown area was 1166.4 10,000 hectares, the affected area only accounts for a small part of the planted area.

From the perspective of annual grain production, 60% of autumn grains are in the northern region, and the impact of floods is relatively small.

In addition, thanks to economic development and technological progress in recent years, through various disaster relief measures and strengthened planting management, the impact of flood disasters can be minimized.

　　The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China stated that this year's summer grain and early rice harvests have been harvested, laying a good foundation for the annual grain harvest.

From the perspective of agricultural conditions, the area of ​​autumn grains has increased steadily this year. Although local droughts and floods are severe, the recovery of production after the disaster is timely and effective, and the growth of autumn grains is generally good.

　　In order to do a good job in the production of autumn grains, China continues to practice "do not miss the farming time" in post-flood reconstruction. The State Council executive meeting held in late August made arrangements for the restoration of agricultural production and proposed support for the restoration of damaged farmland, greenhouses, pens, etc. In facility agriculture, we should step up to replant and replant to ensure another good harvest of autumn crops.

　　Nie Fengying said that, judging from the food supply and demand situation in recent years, China's food supply, especially rations, is sufficient to fully meet the consumer demand.

China's grain output has been bumper for 16 consecutive years, and the per capita grain has exceeded 470 kg, which has been higher than the world average for many years.

　　In addition, China’s ration inventories have also continued to remain high, achieving “grain in hand and no panic in mind.” According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the current inventory levels of rice and wheat in China are roughly equivalent to the annual consumption of urban and rural residents.

　　Lv Qingzhe, deputy director of the China Economic Prosperity Monitoring Center of the National Bureau of Statistics of China, said that on the whole, China’s grain crops have been harvested year after year, reserves are sufficient, the market is stable, and the food security situation continues to improve.

However, we must also be aware that under the impact of the epidemic, the situation of the international grain market is becoming more and more complicated. Although it will not pose a real threat in the short term, we must still be alert to impact on soybeans and other highly dependent imported feed grains.

The "Government Work Report" at the National Two Sessions this year puts "preserving food and energy security" as one of the important contents of the "six guarantees". Ensuring food production is an inevitable requirement for improving China's food security governance capabilities.

　　Lu Qingzhe believes that China needs to continue to stabilize the sown area of ​​grain, strictly observe the red line of arable land; adjust and optimize the planting structure and increase the supply of high-quality varieties to improve the quality of grain production.

In the face of increasingly frequent crop diseases and insect pests, and meteorological disasters, it is necessary to improve the monitoring and early warning system and improve the ability and level of food security risk management.

It is also necessary to deepen opening up and cooperation, actively expand import and export channels under the premise of ensuring the self-sufficiency of important agricultural products, strengthen the management of the global supply chain of agricultural products, and effectively respond to the risks of fluctuations in the international market.

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