SCIO press conference on China's economic performance in the first quarter of 2022
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E-mail China.org.cn, April 21, 2022
Shou Xiaoli:
Due to limited time, the last question, please.
The Beijing News:
Since the beginning of this year, the global energy and food supply have been tight under the influence of the international situation. What is the current condition of energy production and agricultural production in China? Can we meet market needs in the next stage? Thank you.
Fu Linghui:
Thanks for your questions. The international situation has undergone significant changes this year, which have had a major impact on global food and energy production and supply. In general, domestic food production and energy supply are generally stable. In recent years, China has attached great importance to agricultural development. It has introduced a series of measures to encourage and support agricultural development, speed up the protection of cultivated land, promote the construction of high-standard farmland, give play to the role of agricultural technologies, and promote the increase of grain production and harvest. Positive results have been achieved as a result. China's grain production has been more than 1.3 trillion jin (650 billion kg) for seven consecutive years, and live pig production has also returned to the level of normal years.
This year, agricultural production has remained generally stable. In the first quarter, the added value of the primary industry increased by 6% year-on-year, maintaining rapid growth. Regarding the planting industry, the total output value increased by 4.8% in the first quarter. Affected by the severe flood last autumn, the winter wheat planting season in some areas was significantly prolonged. The winter wheat planting area was stable and slightly decreased, and the seedlings were weak. Since the spring of this year, the climate in the main winter wheat-producing regions has been generally favorable. All localities have stepped up efforts to do an excellent job in farmland management, and the seedling situation has gradually improved. At the same time, the northwest region is also actively expanding the planting area of spring wheat, and the total planting area of the wheat is basically the same. Regarding livestock farming, the production remained stable. In the first quarter, the total output value of livestock farming increased by 8% year-on-year, and the output of beef, mutton, and poultry increased by 8.8% compared with the same period of the previous year.
For the next stage, the stability of food production can be guaranteed.
First, we will see responsibilities are fulfilled by all stakeholders at all levels and ensure the equal responsibility of the Party and government for grain production. The production areas and output should be ensured in all main producing and marketing areas,, and areas with a balance between production and marketing. We will strengthen the management of arable land and ensure stable grain production.
Second, we will scale up support for food production. The minimum purchase price for rice and wheat will be increased, subsidies for corn and soybean producers and rice subsidies will continue to be stabilized, and a 20-billion-yuan subsidy for agricultural materials will be issued to mobilize farmers' enthusiasm for growing grain.
Third, we will improve planting efficiency. Since 2021, grain prices have remained stable and risen slightly, farmers' income from grain cultivation has increased, and their willingness to plant has increased. But, of course, we must also see that the cost of growing grain has risen, and there are uncertainties such as meteorological disasters, diseases, and insect pests. Therefore, we still need to do an excellent job in grain production to ensure food security.
Regarding energy, energy production has also remained generally stable this year. In the first quarter, the output of major energy products such as coal, gas, and electricity continued to grow, and China's energy supply was generally stable.
First, raw coal production maintained rapid growth. Coal production enterprises have thoroughly implemented the task of increasing coal production and ensuring supply, accelerating the release of high-quality coal production capacity, and effectively increasing coal supply. In the first quarter, the output of raw coal of industrial enterprises above the designated size reached 1.08 billion tons, a year-on-year increase of 10.3%.
Second, oil and gas production grew steadily. We have stepped up efforts in increasing storage and production capacity. In the first quarter, crude oil production of industrial enterprises above the designated size increased by 4.4% year-on-year, and natural gas production increased by 6.6% year-on-year.
Third, electricity production continued to grow. In the first quarter, power generated by industrial enterprises above the designated size increased by 3.1% year-on-year, of which clean energy power increased by 8.3% year-on-year, driving the growth of power production in industrial enterprises above the designated size by 2.1 percentage points.
Influenced by geopolitical conflicts, recently, the price of international energy commodities rose rapidly, the instability of the global energy market increased, and China's energy security is under certain pressure. Still, we have the conditions, capabilities, and methods to ensure a safe, reliable and stable supply of energy. Therefore, in the next stage, in accordance with the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, we will further implement the policies and measures that have been introduced to ensure energy supply and price stability, actively increase the supply of major energy products such as coal, oil, gas, and electricity, actively respond to the risks brought about by rising international energy prices, and resolutely meet basic living needs of people in energy consumption, and ensure the safe and stable supply of energy and the stable and healthy development of the economy and society. Thank you.
Shou Xiaoli:
Thank you, Mr. Fu, and friends from the press. That's all for today's press conference.
Translated and edited by Xu Xiaoxuan, Ma Yujia, Gong Yingchun, Liu Sitong, Zhang Rui, Wang Wei, Zhou Jing, Li Huiru, Yuan Fang, Liu Jianing, Qin Qi, Wang Yiming, Zhang Junmian, Wang Qian, Zhu Bochen, Yang Xi, Huang Shan, David Ball, Jay Birbeck and Tom Arnstein. In case of any discrepancy between the English and Chinese texts, the Chinese version is deemed to prevail.
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