January 18, 2013

Experts of the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China believe that the country's food security is not threatened as it imported three times more grain over year in 2012.

"The volume of wheat, corn and rice that China imported from January-November 2012 increased by 294.5% compared with the same period last year, but it is less than half of the established annual import quotas for these three kinds of grains," Ministry of Commerce spokesman Shen Danyang said. He called baseless allegations that "China threatens global grain security, or that grain supplies in the country are not enough just based on the fact that it imports more."

In the first 11 months of the year [the data for the entire 2012 are not counted] China purchased abroad a total of 10.78 million tonnes of wheat, corn and rice.

Danyang noted that "the total amount of imports was, of course, within reason," and when setting quotas the government proceeds from reasons of security in the grain market both within the country and worldwide.

For 2013 the National Development and reform Commission, China's main planning agency, set quotas on imports of wheat, corn and rice at, respectively, 9.64 million tonnes, 7.2 million tonnes and 5.32 million tonnes.