China’s grain yield increase still possible

Chen Zhangliang, president of the China Agricultural University said that a
10% grain output increase per mu of lands (about one 15th of a hectare) is
predictable this year if the government offers agricultural subsidy and provides
technical supports.

Room for increase
“There is still room for
an increase of grain yield though many people believe the country’s grain
production has hit the peak as per unit area yield in some regions has been
greatly raised due to the use of chemical fertilizer and pesticide,” Chen, a
member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), said
on the sidelines of the top legislature’s annual session.

No
money
China’s average unit yield of grain stays at 400 kilograms per mu,
and the figure varies greatly in different regions, according to Chen. “The unit
yield in some places is still very low since farmers have no money to buy
chemical fertilizer and timely, sufficient irrigation is not secured,” he said,
adding these regions are where the country can seek potential unit yield
increase. Chen also said that China should not put the quality of grain products
over quantity at the current stage.

Despite serious natural disasters,
China last year saw a rich grain harvest with total output amounting to 497.45
billion kilograms, 13.44 billion kilograms more than the previous year. Experts
attributed the steady increase to farmers’ willingness to grow grain due to
higher grain prices and the government’s preferential policies, such as
subsidies for grain growing and the abolishment of agriculture taxes. However,
observers also warned that the country’s grain production remains weak compared
with its huge population.

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China saves grains for food not biofuel
Chinese grain output up 2.6% in 2006

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