August 29, 2008

China's Jilin Province to up grain output by 5 million tonnes in five years

China's major grain-producing province of Jilin aims to increase its grain output by 5 million metric tonnes in five years to 30 million tonnes, Governor Han Changfu said Thursday (August 28).

The planned 20 percent increase will raise Jilin's output of corn by 3 million tonnes and its output of rice by 2 million tonnes, Han told a press conference in Beijing.

The targeted increase, which is part of the country's plan to raise grain output by 40 million tonnes by 2020, will help to meet the country's rising demand, he said.

China's grain output exceeded 500 million tonnes in 2007, up from 497.45 million tonnes in 2006. The government said earlier this year that it has approved a plan to keep grain output above 500 million tonnes through 2010, and to raise it 540 million tonnes by 2020.

Of the increase in Jilin's output, 4 million tonnes will be achieved via higher unit yields, and another 1.25 million tonnes will be achieved through expansion of acreage by 170,000 hectares, Han said.

Jilin province is China's major corn producing region, with annual corn production of around 19 million tonnes.

Han expected corn output in the province this year to exceed 20 million tonnes.

Meanwhile, Vice Governor Wang Shouchen said the province can increase its exports of corn under the government's quota policy if it achieves a good harvest this year as expected.

China has been curbing grain exports since late last year due to concerns about the country's grain security.