Does the situation of food security in China rest easy?

In recent years, the output, import and inventory of grain in China have increased, and the grain supply is stable, but the new situation, new problems and new challenges have become increasingly prominent. Ren Zhengxiao, director of the State Grain Administration, pointed out in a speech at the founding meeting of the National Food Security Policy expert Advisory Committee today that the current high inventory in China does not mean that the food security situation can rest easy. It is necessary to correctly analyze the new situation and problems facing food security, accurately grasp the trend and inherent laws of grain supply and demand, and earnestly enhance the foresight, pertinence and effectiveness of grain work. It is of great significance to ensure national food security.

Since 2004, China's grain production has achieved "twelve consecutive increases", the grain demand in all aspects has been continuously and reliably guaranteed, and the overall situation of grain supply and demand is good. However, in the long run, with the sustained growth of China's population and the upgrading of consumption structure, grain consumption will also increase rigidly. At the same time, the rigid constraints of cultivated land, fresh water resources, agricultural effective labor, ecological environment carrying capacity and other factors on grain production are becoming more and more prominent, and it is more and more difficult to further stabilize grain production and increase production. The tight balance of grain supply and demand will be a long-term situation. In addition, international politics, geo-conflicts, financial and energy attributes of food and other factors also have a growing impact on food security, to maintain a balance between food supply and demand, to ensure that the domestic market supply is not optimistic.

Ren Zhengxiao believes that the current food security situation in China is still complex and grim. Although grain stocks are at an all-time high, it is not sustainable. Once the domestic and foreign economic situation and grain market situation change, grain stocks may decline rapidly. We must not conclude that the grain situation in our country is secure on the basis of the high grain stocks at present.

At present, the main contradiction in China's grain field is no longer a total contradiction, but a structural contradiction, and the main aspect of the contradiction is on the supply side, prominently shown by the obvious characteristics of periodic oversupply of corn and rice, and the gap between production and demand of soybeans is expanding year by year. The supply of high-end and high-quality products is insufficient; the backlog is serious, which brings great pressure on grain collection and storage, safe grain storage and financial burden. At the same time, some deep-seated institutional contradictions and problems in the grain field have become more apparent, bringing severe challenges to the protection of national food security. The structural reform on the grain supply side is very urgent, and we must unswervingly promote the structural reform on the grain supply side, speed up the "destocking" of grain, readjust the structure, make up the deficiency, strengthen the bones and bones, and increase vitality, so that the grain supply system can better adapt to the changes in the demand structure.

Ren Zhengxiao believes that at present, we should focus on the following aspects of grain supply-side structural reform: first, actively explore new market-oriented acquisition models, reform and improve the grain collection and storage system; second, vigorously develop the grain industry economy to meet the new needs of diversified, personalized and customized food consumption; third, speed up the modernization of grain circulation capacity, achieve efficient, convenient and orderly grain circulation, and ensure military supplies and civilian food. Fourth, break through the key and difficult points and speed up the digestion of unreasonable grain stocks.

At present, there is a high correlation between the domestic grain market and the international market. For some time to come, with the accelerated development of economic globalization and trade liberalization, and with the in-depth promotion of the opening-up strategy of "Belt and Road Initiative" and other countries, the trend of China's deep integration into the world economy will become more obvious. it is a general trend to accelerate the integration of domestic and foreign grain markets. "to ensure national food security, we should not only maintain strategic concentration, adhere to the principle of being self-centered and based on domestic efforts to ensure basic food self-sufficiency, but also set up a global vision and find the combination point of integration into the international grain market. actively and effectively make good use of the two markets and two kinds of resources, speed up the formation of mutually beneficial and win-win international cooperation, and ensure national food security. And fulfill the mission of a great power to safeguard global food security. " Ren Zhengxiao said.

Grain not only has the general commodity attribute, but also has a certain degree of public welfare and foundation. in a large developing country with a large population, food is of special importance. In order to ensure national food security and farmers' interests, since 2004, the state has successively implemented policy collection and storage of some grain varieties, and the grain market has formed a sustained and strong policy market, which has played a vital role in promoting the development of grain production in the short term, but it is difficult to sustain in the long run.

Ren Zhengxiao believes that to ensure food security, we must give prominence to the role of the market and give better play to the role of the government. In order to achieve higher-level and higher-quality food security, we must follow the laws of the market, give full play to the decisive role of the market in allocating grain resources, be good at using the market mechanism to solve problems, and try not to intervene where the market can play a role. However, this does not mean that the government will do nothing. Where the market cannot play an effective role, the government should take the initiative to make up for it. Those who should be in charge should resolutely manage, put in place, and control the level. In grain work, how to achieve the overall grasp of these two aspects, complementary advantages, organic combination, coordination, is a major issue in front of us.