"three questions" grain production has a bumper harvest year after year, why grain prices are still rising

In 2014, China's grain output reached 1.21 trillion jin, achieving an "eleven consecutive increase". Centering on the issue of food security in China, the CPPCC members held heated discussions at the joint group discussion of the agricultural sector of the CPPCC.

With the increase in stocks year after year, can we produce less grain?

"after increasing grain production year after year, China's grain inventory has increased year by year, and the pressure and cost of warehousing have increased." Member Zheng Hui, president of the Agricultural Development Bank of China, raised such a question: is there a "surplus" of grain in China?

In this regard, member Niu Dun, former vice minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, analyzed: "China's per capita grain is more than 400 kg, but it is still low compared with developed countries, and it still cannot meet the requirements of improving people's diet structure and level."

"from a worldwide point of view, food is still in short supply, and 1 billion people in the world are still hungry and semi-hungry. From the perspective of the international market, China has a large population, there is a big country effect problem, often what to buy what to rise, what to sell what to fall. Once there is a problem with domestic supply, it may be very difficult for us to import bulk agricultural products from neighboring countries. " Niu Dun said, "to ensure our food security, we must gain a foothold at home."

"Food production should not be relaxed at any time." The committee members agreed one after another. Chen Zhangliang, member of the standing Committee of the CPPCC National Committee, said: "from historical experience, grain is prone to decline after increasing production year after year, and once the output decreases, it will bring serious consequences. Therefore, we must step up our efforts to ensure production. We must not relax production because of the increase in stocks, and we must not let grain output fall. "

With a bumper harvest year after year, why are food prices still rising?

"the rise in domestic grain prices is mainly due to three factors: first, the continuous increase in feed grain and industrial grain; second, the increase in the cost of grain production, which has increased by an average of 6.5% a year in recent years; and third, the rise in purchase prices." Niu Dun said.

Chen Zhangliang said: "the rise in labor prices has become a factor that can not be ignored, and the labor force accounts for an increasing proportion of the cost of agricultural production, resulting in a rise in the cost of grain production. This is fundamentally caused by the low level of agricultural labor productivity in our country. "

Committee member Ke Bingsheng, president of China Agricultural University, said: "according to the previous law, grain production is abundant every year, but demand is increasing every year and is rigid. In fact, the challenge is very serious now, and this kind of challenge is long-term. It is necessary to use less and less land, less water resources, and less agricultural labor to produce more, better and safer agricultural products. "

"Eleventh consecutive increase", why still need to import?

"first, the need for the allocation of varieties, varieties that are not available at home and varieties with insufficient output need to be imported abroad; second, because the domestic market prices of some grain varieties are higher than those in the international market." Niu Dun said. "to solve the double squeeze of 'ceiling' and 'floor', I think it is necessary to increase subsidies to farmers. Agricultural subsidies in developed countries have reached 30% of the cost of agricultural production, and we have not yet reached such a high level."

Committee member Ko Bingsheng believes that the reason is very simple. The population is increasing, the consumption structure is changing, and the annual food consumption of 170 million migrant workers is much higher than their level in rural areas.

Grain must be imported, because there is not enough land. What should be imported? To import land-intensive products, such as soybeans, the yield of soybeans per mu in China is about 120kg. If we use the area producing 70 million tons of soybeans to produce wheat and corn, then the cultivated area of our country will be increased by two to three times. The utilization of land resources can be realized in such a way.