Exclusive Interview with Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Han Changfu: Discussing a Bountiful Grain Harvest in a Year of Multiple Disasters

In the golden autumn season, the fragrance of rice and millet fills the air, heralding another bountiful harvest. Recently, reports of bumper crops have been pouring in from across the country. This year’s summer grain and early‑season rice have already been harvested in abundance. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, a successful autumn grain harvest is now all but assured, with overall grain output expected to rise at a high level. Average yields per mu are projected to increase by nearly 2 kilograms, keeping total production steady at around 650 billion jin for the sixth consecutive year. As the third “Chinese Farmers’ Harvest Festival” approaches, General Secretary Xi Jinping sent a special congratulatory message, emphasizing that this year’s abundant harvest was hard won and has provided strong support for maintaining overall economic and social stability.

This year, China’s grain production has not been smooth sailing. At the start of the new year, the sudden COVID‑19 pandemic dealt a severe blow to the economy and society, posing formidable challenges to ensuring timely agricultural work. During the main flood season, the Yangtze River basin suffered its most serious flooding since 1998; in mid‑July, western Northeast China experienced a summer drought; and from late August to early September, an unprecedented sequence of three typhoons struck the region one after another. Meanwhile, major pests and diseases such as the fall armyworm have broken out severely in some areas. The frequent occurrence of disasters has subjected grain and agricultural production to multiple pressures. Some people are puzzled, and many are asking: in a year marked by overlapping pandemics and natural disasters, how has China managed to achieve a bumper harvest? To shed light on this, our reporter conducted an exclusive interview with Han Changfu, Director of the Central Rural Work Leading Group Office and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Reporter: Compared with previous years, what special significance does this year’s bumper grain harvest hold?

Han Changfu: This year is a special one: it marks the final year of the 13th Five-Year Plan and the decisive year in the battle against poverty, as we strive to build a moderately prosperous society in all respects and achieve the first centenary goal—milestones of profound significance. At the same time, this year has brought unprecedented challenges: the COVID‑19 pandemic has swept across the globe, domestic economic downward pressure has intensified, and the external environment has undergone complex changes, posing numerous challenges to every aspect of economic and social development. The confluence of these unique circumstances—this exceptional year, this extraordinary context, and these formidable challenges—ensures that securing a bumper grain harvest this year carries an unusually profound and special meaning.

First and foremost, ensuring that the Chinese people have sufficient food has provided strong support for overall economic and social stability. Among the eight fundamental principles of governance, food security stands first. With a population of 1.4 billion, every person needs to eat—every day. General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized that addressing the food needs of 1.4 billion people remains the top priority in governing the country, and that safeguarding national food security must never be relaxed. Since the launch of reform and opening-up, China has sustained rapid economic growth and long-term social stability; an important lesson learned is that abundant agricultural harvests, secure food supplies, and public confidence have underpinned this success. The recent pandemic has once again underscored the paramount importance of ensuring national food security and keeping the “bowl of rice” firmly in hand. Faced with this year’s sudden COVID‑19 outbreak and an extremely complex domestic and international environment, General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that, the greater the risks and challenges, the more crucial it is to stabilize agriculture and ensure the safety of grain and essential agricultural products. At this year’s Two Sessions, he noted that despite the severity of the COVID‑19 pandemic, Chinese society has remained stable, thanks in no small part to the steady supply of food and key agricultural commodities.

Secondly, having food in hand ensures peace of mind and enables us to seize the strategic initiative in responding to a complex international environment. At present, the COVID‑19 pandemic continues to spread globally, disrupting world food trade and supply chains. Coupled with this year’s severe natural disasters and widespread outbreaks of pests and diseases—such as the desert locust plague sweeping across more than 20 countries in East Africa, West Asia, and South Asia, and unprecedented droughts in several nations—the global agricultural sector is under significant strain. Faced with the escalating pandemic, countries around the world are seeking to bolster their food security buffers; some have imposed export restrictions, expanded imports, and built up reserves, sparking widespread domestic and international concerns about a potential food crisis. Under these circumstances, it is imperative that we focus on our own affairs, strengthen domestic grain production, and strive for a bumper harvest in both grain and agriculture. By ensuring the stability of domestic food supplies, we can better navigate the uncertainties of the international market, maintain composure, and firmly hold the initiative in addressing all kinds of risks and challenges.

Third, abundant and bountiful agricultural production has laid a solid foundation for eradicating poverty and achieving moderate prosperity in all respects. Fully building a moderately prosperous society and eliminating absolute poverty in rural areas are pressing tasks that must be accomplished this year. The “no worries about food and clothing, and three guarantees” constitute the core criteria for lifting people out of poverty, with “no worries about food” being the top priority. Ensuring that all Chinese citizens have sufficient, good‑quality, and nutritious food is essential to underpinning and strengthening moderate prosperity. At present, agricultural production remains a key source of income for many farmers, particularly those in major grain‑producing regions and impoverished areas. Since the beginning of the year, agricultural prices have remained generally stable; following the release of early‑season rice and wheat, prices have risen steadily, corn prices have continued to climb, and market conditions for vegetables, meat, dairy products, and other “vegetable basket” items have also been favorable—high yields, favorable prices, and rising incomes. In short, this year’s bumper harvests of grain and other agricultural products have consolidated the gains made in poverty alleviation and enhanced the quality of our efforts to achieve moderate prosperity.

Reporter: With the Mid-Autumn Festival just a few days away, it is commonly said that “the harvest is decided on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month.” Could you please tell us about this year’s grain production outlook?

Han Changfu: September 22 marks the autumn equinox. As an old farming proverb goes, “If you don’t sow in the autumn equinox, every field will be reaped with a sickle,” signaling that the autumn grain harvest is just around the corner. So far, the first two crops—summer grain and early rice—have been harvested in abundance, with yields up by 2.42 billion jin and 2.06 billion jin, respectively, compared with last year. Summer grain production has reached a record high, and the outlook for autumn grain is also quite promising, with a bountiful harvest in sight. All in all, this year is shaping up to be another bumper year, with a good grain harvest on the horizon.

The bulk of the year’s grain production comes from the autumn harvest. During his inspection tour in Jilin in July, General Secretary Xi Jinping explicitly called for a good yield in the autumn grain season. Our assessment that this year’s autumn grain will enjoy a bumper harvest rests on two key factors. First, the planted area has expanded significantly: this year’s autumn‑grain acreage is projected to exceed 1.28 billion mu, up 8 million mu from last year. In particular, corn—Northeast China’s major high‑yield crop—has seen a substantial increase, laying a solid foundation for a bountiful harvest. Second, crop conditions have been generally favorable. The four northeastern provinces and autonomous regions typically produce around 350 billion jin of grain annually, accounting for more than one‑third of the nation’s total autumn grain output. This spring, abundant rainfall during the sowing period, coupled with a well‑balanced combination of light, temperature, and moisture, resulted in robust seedling development and strong growth. In the summer, some counties in the traditional rain‑fed western regions experienced midsummer drought, which did affect local autumn crops—but the impact was limited. Then, in late August and early September, central Northeast China was hit by three consecutive typhoons, causing localized lodging of corn. We promptly organized experts to assess the damage; since the corn had already entered the wax‑ripe stage, with 80 to 90 percent of its yield already set, the lodging had only a minor effect on overall production, primarily increasing harvesting difficulties and costs. At present, corn, rice, and soybeans across the Northeast are all poised for large‑scale harvest. In the Yangtze River basin, flooding during the rainy season damaged mid‑season and late‑season rice, but the expansion of planted acreage helped offset these losses. Following the floods, most of southern China has enjoyed clear, favorable weather, conducive to crop maturation. On the Huanghuaihai Plain and the Fenwei Plain, where autumn grain production is dominated by summer‑sown corn, crops have also reached the wax‑ripe stage, with growth outpacing the long‑term average. The threat posed by the fall armyworm has passed, leaving a promising outlook for a good harvest. Meanwhile, other major producing regions have benefited from relatively favorable weather, ensuring normal crop development.

Reporter: This year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic and severe disasters—including flooding in southern China, drought in Northeast China, typhoons, and major outbreaks of pests and diseases—how did China still manage to achieve a bumper grain harvest?

Han Changfu: This year has indeed been a year of multiple disasters for agriculture. Grain production has faced one setback after another, navigating several critical challenges: during spring plowing and preparation, it braved the COVID‑19 pandemic; during the double‑harvest season for rice in southern China, it withstood severe flooding; and just before the autumn harvest in Northeast China, it endured the threat of typhoons. It also weathered outbreaks of pests and diseases such as the fall armyworm. Against a backdrop of frequent and recurring disasters, achieving a bumper harvest in both grain and agriculture has been no easy feat. In sum, this year’s success in securing a bountiful harvest despite mounting challenges is the result of concerted efforts from all sectors, with the most fundamental factor being the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee.

First, the central government attaches great importance to policies and has implemented sound measures. The CPC Central Committee and the State Council have shown exceptional concern and placed high priority on ensuring this year’s grain production. General Secretary Xi Jinping has issued important instructions and directives at critical junctures in grain and agricultural production, stressing the need to seize every opportunity to advance spring farming, ensure timely sowing, secure a bumper summer harvest, and strive for a good autumn harvest. Premier Li Keqiang has convened numerous State Council executive meetings to deliberate and deploy measures related to spring farming, disaster prevention and mitigation, and post-disaster recovery. The state has introduced a series of policies to support grain production, raising the minimum procurement prices for early-season rice and medium- to late-season indica rice, pooling and allocating over 4 billion yuan to help major early-rice-producing areas restore double-cropping rice systems, and maintaining the scale of subsidies for corn and soybean producers despite severe fiscal constraints at the central level—actions that have effectively boosted local governments’ commitment to agriculture and farmers’ enthusiasm for cultivating grain. It is projected that the total area under grain cultivation will increase by approximately 10 million mu compared with last year.

Second, we adopted an unprecedented set of measures. In this year’s exceptional circumstances, with frequent natural disasters, we implemented a series of special initiatives in agricultural production—tightly coordinated at every stage—to ensure that grain production was firmly and meticulously advanced. The State Council convened the National Spring Agricultural Production Work Conference one month ahead of schedule, promptly laying out plans to stabilize grain output. At the critical juncture of spring plowing, under the auspices of the Central Leading Group for COVID‑19 Response, it issued the “Guidance on Current Spring Farming Operations,” effectively facilitating the phased, tiered resumption of spring farming across regions. Notably, with the State Council’s approval, this year’s grain‑sown area was designated as a binding target, while grain output was set as a guiding indicator, and these were allocated to the governments of all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government, clearly defining objectives and responsibilities and ensuring their rigorous implementation—something not seen in many years. Throughout key agricultural periods—spring preparation, summer harvest, and autumn management and harvesting—we orchestrated a “four‑season campaign,” deploying strategies region by region and conducting weekly coordination meetings. Vice Premier Hu Chunhua repeatedly chaired video conferences at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs to provide guidance on agricultural production in various provinces. In response to the unusually severe agricultural disasters this year, we issued early warnings and promptly put disaster prevention and mitigation measures into effect, notably establishing four “blocking belts” against the fall armyworm and three “lines of defense” against desert locusts, thereby minimizing damage from pests and diseases.

Third, heaven rewards diligence and human effort. Compared with previous years, this year has seen a tighter farming calendar, more urgent agricultural tasks, and severe disasters—making it impossible to secure a bumper harvest without the hard work of farmers. At the most challenging stage of COVID‑19 prevention and control, which also coincided with the peak of spring plowing and preparation, the vast majority of farmers heeded the call, worked tirelessly to overcome the pandemic’s impact, and promptly returned to the fields to apply fertilizer, weed, prevent diseases and control pests, prepare seeds and raise seedlings, till and soak the soil, and prune trees and pick tea—ensuring that epidemic prevention and spring‑time preparations proceeded in parallel. When floods struck southern regions, farmers raced to harvest early rice, hurried to dry it in the sun, drained standing water, and planted late rice as quickly as possible, promptly replanting or making up for lost acreage, so that all early rice was harvested and all late rice was sown. After typhoons battered Northeast China, farmers creatively modified harvesting machinery to promptly collect crops knocked down by the storm. Securing a bountiful grain harvest also depended on scientific and technological advances: we swiftly formulated more than 30 sets of production‑technology guidelines and disaster‑prevention and mitigation recommendations, dispatched over 40 expert teams in response to seasonal conditions and disaster situations, and sent countless grassroots agricultural technicians to the front lines to fight the pandemic and withstand wind and rain, providing timely guidance and services that never missed the critical farming window, helping farmers put key technologies into practice in the fields. Chinese farmers and the broad ranks of grassroots agricultural extension workers are diligent and admirable; they refuse to bow in the face of hardship and never give up when confronted with disasters. It is precisely their tireless efforts that have yielded the fruits of a bountiful harvest even in a year beset by multiple calamities.

Reporter: This year has been a bumper harvest, with grain supplies firmly secured. Against this backdrop, how should we interpret the current rise in grain prices and the increase in import volumes?

Han Changfu: This year, the global COVID‑19 pandemic has continued to spread, causing volatility in international agricultural markets. Public concern over food security—stemming from worries about rising prices and tightening supplies—is understandable, underscoring the central importance of food in people’s daily lives. Let me begin by affirming that China’s food security is firmly assured. Our country has enjoyed 16 consecutive years of bumper harvests, with grain output remaining above 650 million metric tons for five years running. At present, China’s grain reserves are at historically high levels; in particular, stocks of rice and wheat—the two staple grains—can meet the annual consumption needs of the entire population. This year, grain production is looking promising, market supply is ample, and prices have remained broadly stable, ensuring that feeding 1.4 billion people is not a problem.

On the issue of grain imports: China’s food security strategy is encapsulated in twenty characters—“self-reliance as the mainstay, domestic production as the foundation, ensuring production capacity, moderate imports, and science-and‑technology support.” The need for moderate imports stems from China’s national conditions and resource endowments. In terms of total grain imports, China has maintained a steady annual import volume of roughly 100 million tons in recent years, with cereals accounting for less than 20 percent—about 2 percent of domestic production—primarily to balance supply and demand for specific varieties such as high‑gluten and low‑gluten wheat. This year, grain imports have increased somewhat, but only modestly, with a slight uptick in corn. By far the largest share of imports consists of soybeans, averaging 80–90 million tons annually, which accounts for over 80 percent of total imports, mainly to meet demand for feed and edible oil. Under international practice, soybean production and trade are not counted as part of grain statistics. China is both a major soybean producer and the world’s largest consumer; the rise in soybean imports is driven largely by rapidly growing demand for soybeans used in oil extraction and animal feed. At present, per capita annual consumption of vegetable oil stands at around 24 kilograms, nearly ten times the level of the 1980s and about 5 kilograms above the global average. In fact, domestic soybean production has remained relatively stable in recent years; in 2019, China’s total soybean output reached 18.1 million tons, a record high. However, the growth rate of production has lagged far behind that of consumption, necessitating imports to fill the domestic shortfall. This pattern is likely to persist for the foreseeable future, reflecting China’s strategy of leveraging both domestic and international markets and resources.

Regarding grain prices: According to monitoring, in August this year, the average price of the three major grains—rice, wheat, and corn—was 1.23 yuan per jin, up from both the beginning of the year and the same period last year. This represents a recovery-driven increase amid years of rising production costs and prolonged low grain prices; the magnitude of the rise is modest, reflecting normal market fluctuations. This year, rice and wheat prices have remained stable with slight increases, while corn prices have risen more noticeably. The rise in corn prices stems from factors such as the recovery of hog production capacity and growing demand from deep-processing enterprises, as well as speculative activity in the capital markets and irrational hoarding. At present, overall societal corn inventories remain ample, and this year is shaping up to be a bumper harvest; new‑crop corn is about to be harvested and enter the market, further boosting supply. Consequently, corn prices have recently begun to stabilize, and there is little prospect of a sharp price surge going forward.

We should adopt a comprehensive and rational perspective on the reasonable rise in grain prices; at present, overall grain prices remain relatively low. Over the more than 40 years of reform and opening-up, urban residents’ average incomes have increased by more than a hundredfold, while grain prices have risen by less than tenfold. It is essential to balance both ensuring food supply and safeguarding farmers’ incomes; otherwise, “low grain prices will discourage farming and lead to reduced grain production.” As for why people waste food, one reason lies in flawed attitudes that fail to value it, while another stems from the fact that grain prices are too low, making it seem like little money is at stake. Despite consecutive bumper harvests and ample supplies, every grain is hard-earned: from sowing to harvest, a single wheat kernel passes through four seasons—autumn, winter, spring, and summer—spanning over 230 days, and getting from field to table is no easy feat. We must heed General Secretary Xi Jinping’s call to conserve grain and reduce waste.

At present, the large-scale autumn grain harvest is imminent nationwide. In accordance with the central government’s directives, we will spare no effort to secure a bumper autumn harvest, ensure orderly harvesting operations, and effectively coordinate agricultural machinery. Across the country, 2 million combine harvesters will be deployed for autumn harvesting, helping to minimize grain losses during the harvest process. We are determined to bring home the full yield of this bountiful harvest, thereby ensuring a successful grain and agricultural harvest in this year of moderate prosperity.

Source: News Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs