White Paper on Grain Security Released

China recently published the white paper Food Security in China, in which it states that China now has enough food to feed its population of nearly 1.4 billion, and has remarkably improved its people’s nutrition and quality of life.

According to the white paper, China’s per capita food output is maintaining an above the world average. Currently China’s per capita food output is around 470 kilograms, growing by 14 percent from 414 kilograms in 1996 when China published its first white paper on food – The Grain Issue in China, and by 126 percent from 209 kilograms in 1949, when the PRC was founded. This is higher than the world average.

Per unit yield has significantly increased. The yields per hectare for rice, wheat, and corn in 2017 were 6,916.9 kilograms, 5,481.2 kilograms, and 6,110.3 kilograms respectively, which were 50.1 percent, 55.2 percent, and 6.2 percent higher than the world average respectively.

Total food output has also seen a steady increase. China’s total food output had reached near 660 million tons in 2018, nearly six times that in 1949.

Currently China meets 95 percent of its own needs for grain, laying down a solid material foundation for maintaining national food security, promoting socioeconomic development, and safeguarding long-term peace and stability.

In the end, the greater and betterquality food supply has resulted in improved nutrition for the population. The Chinese now have more choices in what they eat and have a healthier diet.