No time to waste on grain farmers' worries; relief and support must come promptly

Since the start of this year, prices of China's major grain crops have declined. The corn purchase price has fallen 21% compared with last year; after wheat prices went through a plunge in September, the decline has now narrowed somewhat; news from the Northeast reclamation area shows that the rice purchase price is level with last year's, and returns are relatively optimistic. It is worth noting that this year's national minimum purchase price for wheat is level with 2014, ending the consecutive rise since 2006.

The data reflect grain price rises and falls on one side, but on the other they bear on the vital interests of grain-growing households.

“Growing rice does not lose money, but the returns are limited.” “Growing corn really loses money, and it is an awful mess.” “What exactly should we grow next year? We are truly anxious!” These words from grain-growing households in the Heilongjiang reclamation area, the country's great granary, tell us in the plainest possible language that if the market continues as it is now, they are unlikely to be happy. Looking across the country, the situation of grain-growing farmers is no different.

After toiling hard for a year, they had hoped that at the finishing point a good harvest would bring good returns, but the market is changeable and the trend has taken a sharp turn for the worse, leaving grain-growing households badly hurt; prices of agricultural inputs are rising, land transfer fees are rising, and labor plus machinery costs are all rising, yet the grain in hand cannot fetch a good price, leaving grain-growing households helpless; they want to continue expanding rice planting, but are constrained by factors such as limited water resources, the sharp fall in corn prices makes people want to back out, and they want to switch to growing soybeans but fear its high risk, leaving grain-growing households confused……

With staple grain prices falling, grain-growing households are full of anxiety. Although we have a series of support policies for grain and grain-growing households, it is often “when the book is needed, one regrets having read too little.” In the face of constantly changing market conditions, many policies always seem somewhat unable to keep up.

In the face of the sluggish grain price trend and the “experiences” of grain-growing households, we cannot always be wise only after the event; we must worry before the farmers do.

How should the planting structure be adjusted? What exactly should be grown next year? Regarding these confusions of farming households, our relevant departments must do their work ahead of the farming households. Old policies cannot remain unchanged for many years; one must visit the grassroots more, listen more to the voices and demands of grain-growing households, and only then can new policies be adjusted and formulated in a timely manner.

There is no time to waste in resolving grain farmers' worries. Regarding risks that have already occurred or may occur, we must formulate emergency plans early and come up with countermeasures early; for old problems that recur repeatedly, we must study from the root the crux of why the “old illness” relapses; for new problems that emerge, we must promptly adjust our thinking and revise and supplement existing policies. At the same time, we must innovate our work approach, keep up with market and era changes, and formulate policies innovatively, so as to respond quickly, resolve industry risks as soon as possible, and eliminate as much as possible the adverse effects of market changes on farming households.