context: Top leaders vowed to protect staples and pork consumption at the Two Sessions. Following the 2020 grain security priorities, this year’s government work report stressed stabilising total crop acreage and grain yields, with financial incentives for producing counties and producers. Pig production is listed as another key area, and the hope is to restore production levels reached before last year's African swine fever outbreak.
In the 2020 government work report, Premier Li Keqiang 李克强 announced the ag sector will
- stabilise planted areas and yields
- increase the multiple cropping index
- increase rice minimum purchasing prices
- increase rewards for major grain-producing counties
- improve pest prevention and control measures
- crack down on illegal occupation of farmland
- add 80 million mu of high-standard farmland
- deepen rural reform
- restore pig production
- retain the governor responsibility system to ensure the security of grain and non-staple ag foods
Concrete measures were taken to secure spring planting, which is expected to total 910 million mu, with early rice restoring to 71 million mu, announced Han Changfu 韩长赋 Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. The nation’s grain output in 2020 will exceed 650 million tonnes, as in the past five years. China already has 100 percent self-sufficiency in rice and wheat, says Han.
Pork prices continued to edge down for 13 consecutive weeks, 23 percent or C¥ 12 per kg down from the peak, thanks to the recovering supply which is expected to approach normal levels in 2020, according to Han. Nevertheless, revitalising pig production is an ongoing process, he said, adding that authorities have released supportive policies to encourage pig production while stepping up African swine fever prevention and control measures. R&D on a vaccine has also been accelerated.
Accounting for 52.3 percent and 47.7 percent of pig production, respectively, large-scale companies and medium- and small-scale farmers will receive equal attention from the government. Leading companies will be the engines boosting the production restoration, said Han.