More than 400 million yuan (US$48 million) will flow into
agricultural technology development in the next three years.
The aim of the project is to ensure steady growth in the
nation's grain production despite limited farmland, said sources
with the Ministry of Science
and Technology Friday.
The target is to increase grain production from last year's 430
million tons to 500 million tons by 2006 using innovations in
agricultural technology.
"In the long run, the way to sustain growth in grain production
is the application of science and technology to agriculture since
farmland areas are shrinking every year," said Science and
Technology Vice Minister Li Xuejun.
The nation's grain production has declined steadily in the past
six years from 512.3 million tons in 1998 to 430 million tons last
year, down 15 per cent.
The problem was exacerbated in the second half of last year by
fluctuations in the international grain market, which caused both
domestic and international concerns over the nation's food
security.
The central government has put priority on the growth of grain
production, boosting farmers' income and pooling all possible
resources to strengthen the nation's agricultural science and
technology base, Li said.
The project, focusing on staple foods such as rice, wheat and
corn, will be carried out in 11 major grain producing provinces in
North China, Northeast China as well as middle-and lower reaches of
the Yangtze River.
It was jointly launched by the Ministry of Science and
Technology, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Finance and State
Grain Administration.
Highlighting quality, efficiency, safety and
environment-friendliness in grain production, the project aims to
increase the nation's grain production by about 16 million tons
before 2006. Simultaneously, farmers' incomes should rise to the
tune of 16.4 billion yuan (US$2 billion), Li said.
Meanwhile, the technological transformation in agricultural
sectors will be intensified to help farmers really benefit from
advanced technologies, said Zhang Baowen, agricultural
vice-minister.
He urged local governments to help farmers improve the market
competitiveness of their produce while increasing grain
production.
"Both the quantity and quality of agricultural products should
be stressed," he noted.
Yuan Longping, a member of Chinese Academy of Engineering and
director-general of the China National Hybrid Rice Research and
Development Center, said Friday that his super-hybrid rice has
achieved great success and will soon be mass produced.
Production of the super-hybrid rice per hectare can amount to
16,500 kilograms, which can help feed the world's most populous
country, he said.
(China Daily May 29, 2004)