January 22, 2026

China witnesses growth in grain, meat production last year

China's grain output reached 714.88 million metric tonnes in 2025, marking a 1.2% year-on-year increase, according to figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics on January 19.

Summer grain output totaled 149.75 million tonnes, down slightly by 0.1%, while early-season rice production rose 1.2% to 28.51 million tonnes. Autumn grain output, which constitutes the largest share of the annual total, increased 1.5% to 536.62 million tonnes.

Wheat production stood at 140.07 million tonnes, roughly unchanged from a year earlier. Corn output rose 2.1% to 301.24 million tonnes, while rice production increased 0.7% to 209.04 million tonnes. Soybean output climbed 1.3% to 20.91 million tonnes.

The livestock sector also recorded steady growth. Total output of pork, beef, mutton, and poultry reached 100.72 million tonnes in 2025, up 4.2% year-on-year and surpassing 100 million tonnes for the first time.

Pork production rose 4.1% to 59.38 million tonnes, while beef output increased 2.8% to 8.01 million tonnes. Poultry meat production jumped 6.7% to 28.37 million tonnes, though mutton output fell 4.2% to 4.96 million tonnes.

Milk production increased 0.3% to 40.91 million tonnes, while egg production declined 2.5% to 34.98 million tonnes. The number of hogs slaughtered in 2025 rose 2.4% to 719.73 million head, while the hog inventory at the end of the year increased 0.5% to 429.67 million head, the data showed.

- China Daily