A bumper summer grain harvest again, but concerns remain amid the joy
Recently, the national summer grain harvest has basically ended. The Ministry of Agriculture announced that this year's total summer grain output can reach 280 billion jin, and overall it is still a bumper year.
"Grain fills the barns, and the world is at peace." In recent years, with the support of various national policies benefiting farmers, China's comprehensive agricultural production capacity has improved significantly. Grain production has leapt across two 100-billion-jin thresholds and has remained stable above 1.2 trillion jin for 3 consecutive years, becoming the "ballast stone" for economic development and social stability. On the high base of having already achieved "twelve consecutive increases," this year's summer grain harvest is again a bumper one, further consolidating the foundation for ensuring national food security.
While comprehensive agricultural production capacity has improved year after year, it should also be noted that China's agricultural production still faces quite a few problems: consumer demand in the grain market is weak, domestic grain prices have long been "inverted" relative to international prices, and the problem of simultaneous increases in output, inventory, and imports is prominent; some farmers' enthusiasm for growing grain has weakened, and extensive agricultural production has given rise to food safety problems; the product structure is homogeneous, and agricultural products repeatedly fall into the vicious cycle of low prices hurting farmers.
The root cause of many problems in agricultural production lies in the fact that China's agricultural competitiveness remains weak. To seek new breakthroughs at a new high point, full efforts must be made in supply-side reform. At the agricultural technology level, it is necessary to continuously improve the quality and efficiency of the agricultural supply system and establish an effective supply of agricultural products that is rationally structured and strongly guaranteed; at the organizational level, accelerate the building of a professional farmer workforce, form a high-quality team of agricultural production and operators, and build a modern agricultural industrial system, production system, and operating system, laying the technological and talent foundation for enhancing the competitiveness of the agricultural industry.
In addition, institutional innovation is key to advancing agricultural supply-side reform. In recent years, problems such as low returns from grain growing and "increased output without increased income" have affected grain production. Agricultural supply-side reform should inject institutional vitality, reform the pricing system, subsidy system, and purchase and storage system in a timely and appropriate manner, improve the returns from grain production, increase farmers' income, and achieve simultaneous progress in agricultural output growth and income growth.
Among the eight principles of governance, food is the first priority of government. Grain production concerns people's lives and bears on national security, and admits no slackening whatsoever. Only by consolidating the foundation of grain can the roots of all industries be solidified. Through agricultural supply-side reform, promoting higher quality and efficiency in agricultural production and accelerating the process of agricultural modernization, can we consolidate national food security and provide solid support for securing a decisive victory in building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.