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E-mail China.org.cn, July 10, 2024
National Business Daily:
At present, Sichuan and other southern regions are in the middle of the busy farming season. We know that Sichuan has been an important granary and a major agricultural province since ancient times. Could you tell us how this year's summer harvest in Sichuan is going? What good practices have been adopted in recent years to ensure food security? Thank you.
Huang Qiang:
Thank you. I will answer these questions. Sichuan, which enjoys the reputation as the "Land of Abundance," is a region that General Secretary Xi Jinping is deeply concerned about and values greatly. He has issued instructions to us to make comprehensive efforts to promote rural revitalization, build a higher-level "Granary of Abundance" in the new era, and enhance our standing as a major agricultural province.
There is an old Chinese saying: "Food is the first necessity of the people; Stability comes through grain and livestock." As one of China's main grain-producing provinces, Sichuan has made every effort to stabilize policies, maintain cultivation areas and increase per-unit yield. For three consecutive years, our grain output has remained stable at over 35 million metric tons. Currently, the land of Sichuan is bustling with harvesting and planting activities. In response to the journalist's question about the summer harvest, I can tell you that a good summer grain harvest in Sichuan is already a certainty. Last year, Sichuan produced over 66 million pigs, ranking first in the country. To ensure that the "Granary of Abundance" thrives, we must first have fertile fields. We have implemented stringent measures to protect arable land, which is our lifeblood. Last year, we added 33,333 hectares of arable land and reclaimed 2,800 hectares of abandoned land, ensuring every piece of land is utilized.
It is not just about ensuring there is grain in the granaries and meat on people's plates. Sichuan has adopted an all-encompassing approach to food, striving to diversify the food on people's tables and increase farmers' incomes through various means. Sichuan leads the nation in the production of 15 agricultural products, including rapeseed and potatoes. We are committed to making the most of our unique local products and promoting the integrated development of primary, secondary and tertiary industries. Ziyang city produces over 70% of the country's lemons, with last year's exports reaching 128 million yuan. In Meishan, the hometown of (famed historical poet) Su Dongpo, small pickles have been turned into a multi-billion-yuan industry.
Sichuan has 25.33 million hectares of forests. We have taken the lead nationally in establishing the "Forest Granary of Abundance," seeking food from the forests. In the primeval oak forests of Ganzi, Aba and Liangshan, about 4,000 metric tons of matsutake mushrooms are produced annually. Harvesting the delicious matsutake, known as the "King of Mushrooms," can provide farmers with an annual income of up to 100,000 yuan. Bamboo is also highly valuable, serving as a substitute for plastic and wood and representing a 100 billion-yuan industry. Sichuan has one-fifth of the country's bamboo forests. We all know giant pandas mostly live in Sichuan and like to eat bamboo, so we have plenty of it. We have vigorously promoted the comprehensive use and full-chain development of bamboo, turning bamboo forests into scenic spots and treasure troves in the beautiful countryside. Forests serve as reservoirs, treasuries, granaries and carbon stores. We are working to make Sichuan a demonstration province for the construction of the "Four Forest Reserves" nationwide, actively promoting "water stored in mountains," "money growing on trees," "grain stored in forests" and "carbon sequestered in wood," striving to achieve a harmonious balance between ecological, economic and social benefits. Thank you.
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