August 12, 2010

China steps up efforts to boost grain output

China's State Council has rolled out a string of policies to support autumn grain production as the central government called for more efforts to ensure this year's grain harvest.

Autumn grain production is key for China to meet its annual output target as it accounts for 70% of the total production.

The Ministry of Finance will allocate RMB1.1 billion (US$162.4 million) to subsidise purchases of fertiliser and pest control, reports said.

Premier Wen Jiabao urged efforts to restore production in disaster-hit regions, after large swathes of farmland have been affected by floods in recent months. He also stressed the application of technology and weather forecasting.

China's summer grain output declined 0.3% on-year to 123.1 million tonnes this year, the first fall in seven years, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.