Nie Zhenbang: multiple measures to ensure food security and farmers' interests

Interview with Nie Zhenbang, President of China Grain Industry Association

The executive meeting of the State Council held on November 11 determined measures to stabilize grain production and increase income from growing grain, emphasizing the protection of food security and the interests of farmers. With regard to some hot topics in the current grain production, Jingji Daily invited authoritative experts to conduct an in-depth interpretation. At present, the purchase of autumn grain in various places is stable and orderly, but there are also some problems, which have aroused widespread concern in the society, some of which are related to national food security and the interests of farmers. To this end, the reporter of this newspaper went to the main grain producing areas in Northeast China to carry out research. From today on, this page publishes the research report sent back by the reporter.

China's grain production has increased year after year, which has effectively supported the economic and social development and the improvement of people's livelihood, but at the same time, it has also brought about problems such as a substantial increase in stocks and a decline in grain prices. At present, it is the time of autumn harvest and winter planting, how to protect farmers' interests and enthusiasm for growing grain, and ensure national food security? Our reporter conducted an exclusive interview with Nie Zhenbang, president of the China Grain Industry Association.

Reporter: while China has had bumper grain harvests in successive years, problems such as high grain stocks and falling grain prices have aroused widespread concern. What do you think is the cause of these problems?

Nie Zhenbang: with the support of the policy of strengthening farmers and benefiting farmers and rich farmers, China's grain has increased year after year since 2004. in addition to meeting the consumption demand of the domestic market, a considerable part of grain has enriched its inventory. at the same time, due to the upside-down price of grain at home and abroad, resulting in a large number of imports of grain and substitutes, while the demand for grain has not increased accordingly, these factors are superimposed together. This has resulted in a substantial increase in grain stocks and a decline in grain prices.

Reporter: what measures do you think should be taken to do a good job in purchasing autumn grain to protect farmers' interests and enthusiasm for growing grain?

Nie Zhenbang: the executive meeting of the State Council held a few days ago specially studied the problems existing in grain production and circulation and put forward a series of effective policies and measures. After these measures are implemented, from the overall point of view, there will be no problem of farmers'"difficulty in selling grain" or "blank slips." In order to solve the problem of insufficient storage, the relevant state departments have issued a plan for the construction of 129.7 billion jin of storage facilities, a plan for the maintenance and renovation of 240 billion jin of dangerous warehouses, and a plan for the construction of 30 billion jin of grain sheds; the central government has allocated 14.8 billion yuan of funds to speed up the construction of grain storage facilities; it has also issued a plan for open-air storage of 60 billion jin of grain, and a plan to transfer warehouses across provinces to the main grain selling areas.

In order to do a good job in purchasing autumn grain, the relevant state departments need to take more effective measures. Relevant enterprises should speed up the construction of warehouses, speed up the implementation of the inter-provincial warehouse relocation plan issued by the state, enrich grain stocks in sales areas, make good use of social idle storage facilities, and study and formulate policies to encourage large grain processing enterprises to enter the market for acquisitions; actively and steadily digest the inventory and sell part of the grain stored for a long time to processing enterprises to reduce the impact on the grain circulation market as much as possible. It is necessary to turn the qualified temporary storage corn into national reserves and let this part of grain withdraw from the circulation market.

Reporter: do you think there will be big ups and downs in grain prices in our country?

Nie Zhenbang: at present, the overall operation of China's grain market is stable, and there are generally no ups and downs in grain prices. First of all, since the reform of the grain circulation system, China has established a very perfect grain macro-control system. The central and local grain reserves are abundant, and the regulation and control means are efficient, which can ensure the supply of the grain market and stabilize the grain market.

Second, wheat continues to be purchased in support of the market this year, and the collection and storage work has been completed. We will continue to carry out market-supporting acquisitions in the main rice producing areas. Although the temporary storage price of corn has been adjusted, it is still purchased by temporary storage, which will protect the enthusiasm of farmers in growing grain. The executive meeting of the State Council explicitly called for the reform of the mechanism for the formation of grain prices and the collection and storage of grain, the improvement of the subsidy policy for corn and soybeans, and the implementation of the minimum purchase price policy for wheat, rice and other grain varieties next year. This will help to stabilize farmers' planting expectations and arouse farmers' enthusiasm for growing grain.

Third, the state has also taken measures to strictly control imports, strengthen the management of non-quota grain imports, and effectively control grain imports.

Reporter: how do you think to deal with the relationship among grain production, inventory and consumption?

Nie Zhenbang: in order to solve the problems of grain production and circulation, feasible measures must be taken to promote the coordinated development of grain production and demand, give full play to the decisive role of market resource allocation, respect market laws, and give better play to the macro-control role of the government.

Adjusting and optimizing the agricultural planting structure is an effective way to solve the grain problem in our country at present. Judging from the current production level, we should ensure and stabilize the planting area of wheat and rice, ensure the basic balance between the production and demand of rice and wheat, adjust and optimize the planting area of corn, and promote the rotation of corn and soybean. We will expand the pilot scope of "changing grain into feed" and reduce the planting area of corn. Making use of the favorable conditions of the country's abundant grain stocks, we can continue to restore and expand the conversion of farmland to forests.