Summer grain output increases 3 %

Sources from the Ministry of Agriculture state that the total output of the summer grain crops is estimated to increase by about 2.5 billion kilograms, and the growth rate is about 3 percent, reversing the situation of reduction in summer grain output for four consecutive years since 2000.

Early this year, the central government published a "high-gold-content" No. 1 document. The Party Central Committee and the State Council have time and again clearly pointed out that more direct, more effective and more resolute measures would be adopted to vigorously develop grain production and strive to increase farmers' income. This year, central finance funds supporting agriculture have amounted to 150 billion yuan, reaching an all-time high; the state has taken 10 billion yuan out of the grain risk fund to directly subsidize grain growers in major grain-producing areas; the central finance has arranged several hundred million yuan as subsidies for improved varieties used by grain growers

A series of policies and measures have stimulated farmers' enthusiasm in grain production, and have motivated local governments to attach great importance to agriculture grasp grain production. From northeast and north China to the northwest, from central regions to south China, a grain-production upsurge has risen again in rural areas, laying a solid foundation for a bumper harvest of summer grain crops.

In the meantime, some agriculturalists remind that the increased summer grain production benefits largely from the central government's "No.1 document" and other policy support as well as last year's grain price rise. Under this circumstance, we ought to be more sober-minded, and thoroughly change the extensive method for increasing grain production, and rely on science and technology as well as improve the planting-structure to reach the goal of increasing grain production, and do well in the reform of the grain circulation field, furthering the grain safety level.

On June 3, the State Council officially published the "Regulations on Grain Circulation Administration". This indicates that China has taken a solid step toward the establishment of a unified, open competitive and orderly grain market system. Meanwhile, the state's practice of issuing grain subsidies directly to farmers not only will improve the utilization rate of funds, but also directly benefits the farmers themselves. In order to dispel farmers' worries about the possible risks brought about by grain market-oriented reform, the state has also made public the lowest purchasing price of major grain varieties for the first time in the grain-sowing season.

By People's Daily Online