September 23, 2011
China's grain production is expected to reach a record high of 550 million tonnes this year, the Ministry of Agriculture said Thursday (Sep 22).
The total amount of land dedicated to growing grain is expected to reach 1.66 billion mu (about 110 million hectares) this year, 10 million mu more than last year, according to a statement posted on the ministry's website.
Yields of summer grain and early rice have already surpassed record highs registered in 2009, according to the statement. This year's yield of autumn grain is expected to exceed that of last year, the statement said.
"The grain harvest plays a positive role in curbing inflation. It is particularly effective in preventing market speculation and hoarding," said Dang Guoying, a researcher from the Rural Development Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
China's grain output rose 2.9 percent on-year to reach 546.61 million tonnes in 2010, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.