China makes steady efforts to increase grain production capacity: white paper

BEIJING - China has launched various measures to boost its grain production capacity, according to a white paper on food security released on Monday.

To protect cultivated land, the country has implemented an overall plan for land use nationwide, strictly controlling the occupation of cultivated land and balancing the occupation and replenishment of arable land, the white paper said.

While establishing a complete and special protection system for permanent basic farmland, the country has designated more than 103 million hectares of permanent basic farmland.

Thanks to such moves, the country has 134.88 million hectares of cultivated land at present, an increase of more than 4.8 million hectares over 1996. There are more than 117 million hectares sown with grain, an increase of about 4.5 million hectares over 1996.

Meanwhile, efforts have been made to improve the quality of arable land and protect the environment, establish functional areas for grain production and protected areas for the production of important agricultural products, and enhance the efficiency of water resource utilization, according to the white paper.

To further establish food security in its own way, China has taken steps to cultivate and arouse the enthusiasm of grain planting, innovate and improve the food market system and improve macroeconomic regulation.

China is dedicated to developing the grain industry economy, establishing a comprehensive food science and technology innovation system, and strengthening management and operations in accordance with the law, the white paper said.