China is on track for a record grain output this year in a boost for its drive to improve food security.
The harvest is expected to exceed 700 million tonnes for the first time this year, after nine straight years when it was above 650 million tonnes, Zhang Xingwang, the vice-minister for agriculture said on Friday.
The summer harvest saw its biggest jump in nine years at almost 149 million tonnes, and the autumn harvest, which accounts for three quarters of the total, has seen a “noticeable improvement” this year, Zhang said.
China, the world’s biggest crop producer and consumer, has doubled down on food security amid worsening climate change, turbulence in the global market and growing tensions with the United States, which is a major agricultural exporter.
Zhang said severe weather events this year had taken their toll on agriculture, but the effect was “relatively mild” compared with previous years.
This year southern and northeastern China were hit by heavy rainfall and floods while some central regions suffered from droughts.
