In 2015, China's total summer grain output was 141.066 million tons, up 3.3% year on year
“This year's harvest is much better than last year's, with the average yield per mu reaching more than 1,000 jin.” Luo Yingli, a large-scale grain grower in Jintang Village, Wanggang Town, Yingshang County, Anhui Province, and his family, who are busy with autumn field management, are still immersed in the joy of this year's bumper summer grain harvest. Data on national summer grain production released by the National Bureau of Statistics show that this year China's total summer grain output was 141.066 million tons, an increase of 4.470 million tons over 2014, or 3.3%. With waves of wheat stretching for thousands of layers, China's summer grain has achieved a “twelfth consecutive bumper harvest,” laying a solid foundation for a bumper grain harvest for the whole year.
3.3%, playing the role of a “ballast stone” for stable economic operation
Grain is the foundation of all industries. What is 3.3%? It is a solid increment of 8.94 billion jin, and a new record high in summer grain output.
The “twelfth consecutive bumper harvest” of summer grain benefited from an increase in area and an increase in yield per unit area. According to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, this year the national sown area of summer grain was 27,692.3 thousand hectares (415.384 million mu), an increase of 110.7 thousand hectares (1.661 million mu) over 2014, or 0.4%. The national summer grain yield per hectare reached 5,094.0 kg (339.6 kg/mu), an increase of 141.6 kg per hectare (9.4 kg/mu) over the previous year, or 2.9%.
In the first half of the year, when downward pressure on the economy was relatively heavy, the “twelfth consecutive bumper harvest” of summer grain output was a prominent highlight in economic operation and played the role of a “ballast stone” for stable economic operation.
The “ballast stone” provided strong support for sustained and stable economic development. At present, the international economic situation is complex and volatile, and downward pressure on China's economy is increasing. Grain production is an important guarantee for economic development, social stability and national security. This year's bumper summer grain harvest has created foundational conditions for stabilizing growth, adjusting structure, transforming the development model and controlling risks.
The “ballast stone” boosted confidence for securing another bumper grain harvest for the whole year. Summer grain is the first season of grain production for the whole year. Summer grain output accounts for more than one fifth of the annual total; relying on autumn grain to make up for summer grain keeps one anxious, while a bumper summer grain harvest gives the whole year the initiative. Another bumper summer grain harvest fully proves that our set of practices for grain production is effective and that the disaster prevention and mitigation, stable production and yield increase technologies adopted are effective, providing assurance for a bumper grain harvest for the whole year.
The “ballast stone” consolidated the foundation for ensuring absolute security of food rations and basic self-sufficiency in grains. Ninety percent of summer grain is wheat, an important ration variety. At present, domestic grain reserves are sufficient, but wheat inventories have decreased. This year global wheat production declined, and international market wheat supply decreased while market prices rose. A bumper summer grain harvest can not only ensure the absolute security of domestic food rations, but also play a positive role in stabilizing international grain prices. A bumper summer grain harvest has also created foundational conditions for stabilizing the overall level of domestic prices and curbing inflation.
3.3%, an important sign of improving agriculture and rural affairs
Looking back, this 3.3% was indeed hard-won. The bumper summer grain harvest depended on China's continuous improvement of the national food security guarantee system, strengthening of the agricultural support and protection system, establishment of a long-term mechanism for sustainable agricultural development, deepening of reform of the rural land system, building of a new type of agricultural operation system, and acceleration of innovation in the rural financial system.
When agriculture, rural areas and farmers improve, the overall situation gains the initiative. 3.3% is an important sign of improving agriculture and rural affairs in the first half of the year. Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics show that in the first half of the year, the added value of the primary industry was 2,025.5 billion yuan, up 3.5% year on year. From the perspective of investment intensity, in the first half of the year investment in the primary industry was 615.9 billion yuan, up 27.8% year on year. 3.3% is a new starting point for grain production to reach a new level.
For a bumper grain harvest for the whole year, the bulk lies in autumn grain. As the agricultural proverb says, “the fifteenth of the seventh month determines drought or flood, and the fifteenth of the eighth month determines the harvest.” At present, except for double-cropping late rice, autumn grain sowing and planting have basically ended. According to the latest agricultural situation dispatch by the Ministry of Agriculture, this year's autumn grain production mainly has four characteristics: the area has increased steadily, the structure has been somewhat optimized, sowing quality has improved, and overall growth is relatively good.
But unfavorable conditions follow like shadows. First, the situation for disaster prevention and mitigation of autumn grain is not optimistic; during the flood season there may be “floods in the south and drought in the north,” and pests and diseases may also worsen. Second, the market situation is also not optimistic; affected by factors such as weak operation of international prices of bulk agricultural products, weak domestic demand, high inventories and increased imports, prices of bulk agricultural products may continue to weaken, temporary storage policies for corn, cotton and rapeseed are being adjusted, and import shocks from miscellaneous grains such as barley and sorghum continue.
Overall, the main problems in emphasizing agriculture and grain production as well as in agricultural and rural reform and development are that natural disasters cannot be underestimated, fluctuations in the agricultural product market cannot be underestimated, risks to agricultural product quality and safety and major animal epidemics cannot be underestimated, and the complexity and difficulty of advancing rural reform cannot be underestimated.
China has more than 1.3 billion mouths, and every meal requires food. Food security is of special and important significance to economic and social development, and the goal of stabilizing grain production and increasing income must be firmly upheld without wavering. At present, it is necessary to base efforts on fighting disasters to secure a bumper harvest, grasp the two key points of pest and disease prevention and control and flood prevention and drought relief, and ensure that autumn grain matures safely.
At no time can agriculture be neglected; the more the agricultural situation improves, the more we must prevent laxity. We must always adhere to not weakening policies that strengthen agriculture, benefit farmers and enrich farmers, not slackening in advancing a moderately prosperous rural society in all respects, and maintain the good momentum of agricultural and rural development.