China to expand soybean production
China will strive to expand soybean production in an effort to keep grain output stable amid concerns of a global food crisis, the country’s top economic planner said Tuesday.
The country would also keep corn and other grain output stable while taking precise measures to sell policy-supported grain to ensure market supply.
Meng Wei, spokesperson of the National Development and Reform Commission, has said.
The country’s grain stock is sufficient and can hedge against risks in the market, Meng said.
Meng added that the stable grain market in China offered a buffer against a potential global food crisis.
Data from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation showed that the Food Price Index averaged 159.3 points in March, up 12.6 per cent from February, the highest since the index was launched in 1990.
China has set a target to ensure that the full-year grain output stays above 650 billion kg in 2022.
Last year, China’s grain output hit a new high of 683 billion kg, with grain farmland exceeding 117 million hectares. (Xinhua/NAN)