How to approach grain production next year? Maintaining strategic focus is key

——The mentality of “relaxing just because grain is abundant” must not spread!

Another bumper grain harvest this year has become a standout highlight of economic and social development. Consecutive years of grain increases are rare in history and rare in the world. This achievement did not come easily; it is the result of multiple factors working in the same direction, and it cannot be overestimated. Developing production and ensuring supply is the fundamental task of agriculture and an important duty of agricultural departments. The broad ranks of agricultural production workers and scientific and technical personnel pragmatically and innovatively implemented all measures, grasping them link by link, advancing them region by region, and carrying them out measure by measure, thereby seizing the initiative for a bumper grain harvest and demonstrating the character of overcoming difficulties and persistent pursuit. This deserves full recognition and more applause. Because of consecutive years of bumper harvests and full granaries and warehouses, the rice bowl of the Chinese people is more secure.

But it must be seen that after consecutive years of grain increases, many difficulties and challenges lie ahead, and the pressure on resources and the environment is growing. Especially after consecutive years of grain increases, when supply pressure has eased, some people believe that “the country does not need to grow so much grain,” some places have shown a tendency to relax grain production, and some places have developed the mood of “relaxing a bit” in grasping grain production. This phenomenon and mood are spreading, affecting morale, and deserve attention. Historical lessons are profound: grain production is “easy to drop but hard to raise,” and if those above loosen by one chi, those below will let go by one zhang. If everyone can “relax a bit” next year, then anyone can “slacken off a bit,” and the consequences of this phenomenon spreading are unimaginable.

“Grain security underpins the world.” This is a truth, and it is also determined by our country's national conditions. No matter how society develops, ensuring food security remains the primary task. The more abundant the grain harvest, the more we must keep a clear head and maintain strategic focus. The central leadership attaches great importance to grain production, proposes building a national food security strategy under the new situation, and clearly sets the strategic bottom line of “basic self-sufficiency in grains and absolute security of staple food.” The Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Party also clearly proposed implementing the strategy of storing grain in the land and storing grain in technology. These major arrangements fully demonstrate the central leadership's firm determination to safeguard national food security. Party committees and governments at all levels must deeply understand, accurately grasp, and resolutely implement them, never relaxing in grasping grain production, and firmly keep the rice bowl of the Chinese people in our own hands.

First, stabilize farmers' enthusiasm for growing grain. “Cheap grain harms farmers,” and farmers' enthusiasm for growing grain cannot be harmed. Under this year's special circumstances of a sluggish grain market, it is necessary to ensure that the reasonable interests of grain-growing farmers and new types of agricultural business entities are not infringed upon, and avoid making things worse. Agricultural departments at all levels must, in accordance with the central leadership's decisions and arrangements, work with relevant departments to implement grain purchase and storage policies, carry out supervision and inspection, and strictly investigate “IOUs” and pressure to lower grades and prices, so as to protect farmers' interests. All localities must take effective measures to protect the interests of new types of business entities and support and guide large-scale grain production.

Second, consolidate and improve grain production capacity. Since reform and opening up, China's grain production has experienced several fluctuations, and supply and demand have become tight. One important reason was a decline in production capacity. It should be seen that the current improvement in grain supply and demand is due both to an increase in domestic supply and to the supplement of low-priced international grain. The emergence of this situation has complex reasons and special background. The world economy will always improve, and the pressure on grain supply and demand will grow. We cannot tie our rice bowl to others' belts; we must rely on ourselves and on consolidating and improving production capacity. What is important is to strengthen the construction of high-standard farmland and the construction of cultivated land quality, and realize storing grain in the land. It is also necessary to strengthen scientific and technological innovation and integrated technological innovation, and realize storing grain in technology. Only in this way can we truly safeguard food security and achieve the state of having grain in hand and no panic in heart.

Third, transform the mode of production and development. With consecutive years of grain increases, resources and the environment have shown a “red light,” and the development mode must be accelerated. It is necessary to optimize grain varieties and regional structure, focus on preserving staple food varieties such as rice and wheat, appropriately reduce corn planting in non-advantageous areas, and build a production pattern that coordinates grain, cash crops, and feed and combines agriculture and animal husbandry. It is necessary to vigorously promote integrated technologies, with the focus on promoting green yield-increasing technology models that use machinery as the carrier and are high-yield, efficient, cost-saving, efficiency-enhancing, and quality-enhancing. It is necessary to vigorously develop resource-saving agriculture, and in accordance with the requirements of “one control, two reductions, three basics,” continue the action of zero growth in the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, save resources, protect the environment, and achieve sustainable agricultural development.

Next year is the first year of implementing the Fifth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Party, and also the opening year of the “13th Five-Year Plan.” As far as agricultural work is concerned, a fundamental task is still to strive to maintain grain stability. To safeguard national food security, we must maintain strategic focus and not be tight at one time and loose at another. Agricultural departments at all levels must, with a high degree of self-awareness, firm confidence, and effective measures, unwaveringly grasp grain production and lay a solid foundation for promoting economic transformation and upgrading and sustained and stable development.