September 23, 2011

China is set to realise self-sufficiency in rice, wheat and corn in 2011-2015, according to the newly released five-year development plan for the country's planting industry by the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) Wednesday (Sep 22).

The overall goals for planting industry is to ensure the country's food security; meet the people's demand for agricultural food; improve the quality of the food; optimise the industrial structure and strengthen the sustainable development capability.

The plan sets targets of ensuring 95% of grains supplied domestically in the coming five years, with the grain planting area steadily above 106.7 million hectares and grain output above 540 million tonnes.

China also claims to keep the output of japonica rice, which is in great demand on the market, at more than 78 million tonnes to feed the market with a planting area of 10 million hectares.

Meanwhile, the country will strive to maintain the self-sufficiency rate of edible vegetable oil at 40%. The planting area of oil crops will stand above 14 million hectares and the output reach 35 million tonnes. Among them, the planting area of rape and peanut will be 6.67 million hectares and 4.67 million hectares.

It will also strive to have the cotton and sugar output stabilised at seven million tonnes and 140 million tonnes, with planting area of 5.33 million hectares and 1.93 million hectares respectively. Such an output will basically meet the domestic consumption.

The plan also pointed out China will strive for stable supply of vegetables with planting area at 18.67 million hectares and the output around 650 million tonnes.

Besides, the plan highlighted the development of pesticide, farm machinery, and seed sectors to promote the overall advancement of the planting industry.

The ministry said it would continue to support mergers and acquisitions of seed enterprises for integrating resources over the following five years.