China increasingly looking abroad for grain sources: Minister

BEIJING - Rather than increase its own domestic farming capacity, China will seek to lift grain imports during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20), according to Agriculture Minister Han Changfu.

The China Daily reports that in what scientists see as a major shift, China for the first time is looking for a stable output of quality grain products rather than continuing to increase domestic supplies. This is despite predictions that demand for grain will rise from 600 million tonnes in 2014 to 700 million tonnes in 2020.

This increase in demand will likely lead to a gap of approximately 100 million tons with supply, which would be filled by imports.

Han insists that this gap between demand and supply will not prevent China maintaining 100% self-sufficiency in staple foods, especially wheat and rice, through the 13th Five-Year Plan.

“Based on the realistic capacity of the country’s resources, we can ensure that the Chinese people maintain control over their own food supply, most importantly in staple foods,” China Daily reported the Minister as saying, adding that Han said the imports would mostly be animal feeds.  www.webershandwick.cn (ATI).