Country faces challenges to feed its growing population, minister says

DALIAN, Liaoning - Despite severe natural disasters, China is expected to achieve a bumper harvest for the eighth consecutive year this year, Agriculture Minister Han Changfu said on Thursday.

Northern and southern parts of China have experienced prolonged droughts and floods since February. This has raised international concerns about possible crop losses in the world's biggest grain producer.

"But thanks to favorable weather in the country's major crop-producing areas, as well as effective relief efforts, the country is very likely to achieve an eighth consecutive year of increased grain production this year," Han said when attending the World Economic Forum in Dalian, Liaoning province.

Since 2007, annual grain output has remained above 500 million tons, and it hit 546.4 million tons in 2010, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

But many countries, including China, have been hit by fast-rising grain prices since 2007, driven by many factors including climate change.

Partly because of soaring food prices, more than 900 million people in the world experienced malnutrition and hunger in 2010, up from 800 million people in 1995, statistics from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization showed.

"Global grain prices will continue to remain at a high level and suffer many price fluctuations," said Fan Shenggen, director-general of the International Food Policy Research Institute, on the sidelines of the forum meetings.

"Price fluctuations will badly hurt local farmers' enthusiasm for planting, since they are worried about their incomes. Therefore, governments need to try their best to curb price fluctuations to ensure food security," he said.

The minister said China will face great challenges in feeding its growing population because of fast urbanization and limited natural resources.

The country will step up its efforts to boost grain production capacity in the next five years, such as expanding technological input and investment in rural irrigation facilities, he said.

"Food security is a common challenge for the world. Developed countries have to put more effort and resources into improving food productivity in developing economies," he said.

Concern about the safety of agricultural products also attracted attention from business leaders at the forum.

"At present, the marine ecology is a growing concern in the fishery industry," Wu Hougang, CEO of Dalian Zhangzidao Fishery Group, said.

"The government needs to invest more in the fishery industry, especially in training breeders to raise sea products," he said.

China Daily

(China Daily 09/16/2011 page18)