Comprehensive Data: Cultivated Area of Major Crops in China and Its Trends

China is one of the world’s oldest agricultural civilizations, and throughout successive dynasties, agriculture has always been given top priority, with the principle of “establishing the nation through agriculture.” For millennia, China has remained the most populous country in the world, and agricultural development has been the fundamental driver of population growth. However, it was only at the end of the last century and the beginning of this one that China first achieved overall food security. Since then, grain production has remained stable, with output increasing in the vast majority of years, and per capita grain availability has now doubled compared to the level at the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Crop production is an important component of agricultural output. In recent years, the total area under cultivation in China has shown a steady annual increase.

1.

The total area under cultivation is approximately 2.5 billion mu.

According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, China’s total cropland area increased annually from 2010 to 2016, surpassing 2.4 billion mu in 2011 and 2.5 billion mu in 2015, with a peak of 2.53 billion mu in 2021. Given the agriculture sector’s heavy reliance on land resources, the total cropland area is expected to remain stable at around 2.5 billion mu going forward.

Figure 1: Trend in China’s Total Cropland Area

(Data source: National Bureau of Statistics; Chart created by Nong Xiaofeng)

2.

Grain planting area: corn > rice > wheat > legumes > tubers

In 2021, the total area planted with grain crops in China was approximately 1.764 billion mu, accounting for about 70% of the country’s total cropland area.

Figure 2: Trends in China’s Grain and Sub‑Category Agricultural Crop Planting Areas (Unit: 100 million mu)

(Data source: National Bureau of Statistics; Chart created by Nong Xiaofeng)

From a trend perspective, between 2010 and 2021, the planted area for grain and for specific agricultural products in China showed a steady upward trajectory.

In 2021, the ranking of planting areas for China’s major food crops was as follows: corn (650 million mu) > rice (449 million mu) > wheat (354 million mu) > beans (152 million mu) > tubers (110 million mu).

Figure 3: Comparative Distribution of Planting Areas for Major Grain Crops in China, 2021

(Data source: National Bureau of Statistics; Chart created by Nong Xiaofeng)

3.

Vegetable cultivation area: over 300 million mu

Vegetables are one of the indispensable components of people’s daily diets and an essential part of agricultural production. In China, they represent the crop with the largest cultivated area and the highest economic significance, aside from grain crops. According to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2020, the total area under vegetable cultivation in China was approximately 322 million mu, accounting for about 12.8% of the country’s total cropland area that year.

Figure 4: Trends in China’s Vegetable Cultivation Area

(Data source: National Bureau of Statistics; Chart created by Nong Xiaofeng)

From a trend perspective, since 2010, the national area under vegetable cultivation first increased year by year from 261 million mu to 294 million mu in 2015. In 2016, influenced by adjustments in the industrial structure, it declined slightly to 293 million mu, a decrease of approximately 0.31%. Beginning in 2017, the national vegetable‑cultivation area surpassed 300 million mu and maintained a four-year period of steady growth.

4.

Orchard area: nearly 200 million mu

Fruit is the edible reproductive structure of plants. China, with its vast territory spanning the cold, temperate, and tropical zones, boasts abundant fruit‑tree resources and a wide variety of cultivars, making it one of the world’s major centers of origin for fruit trees. Fruit tree cultivation has a long history, and its horticultural traditions run deep, earning China the well‑deserved reputation as the “Mother of Gardens” worldwide.

According to the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2021, China’s orchard area exceeded 190 million mu, accounting for approximately 7.56% of the country’s total cropland area that year.

Figure 5: Trends in China’s Total Cropland Area

(Data source: National Bureau of Statistics; Chart created by Nong Xiaofeng)

From a trend perspective, since 2010, the national orchard area has generally exhibited a fluctuating growth pattern, with a slight decline observed between 2015 and 2016. Key milestones reveal that the area exceeded 170 million mu in 2014, surpassed 180 million mu in 2019, and reached 190 million mu in 2020. Driven by the frequent introduction of policies related to fruits, vegetables, and tea in recent years, the orchard area is expected to break through 200 million mu in the coming period.

5.

Cotton planting area: approximately 50 million mu.

Cotton is the seed fiber of plants belonging to the genus Gossypium within the family Malvaceae, originating in subtropical regions. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2021, China’s total cotton planting area was approximately 45.42 million mu, accounting for about 1.8% of the country’s total agricultural land area.

Figure 6: Trends in China’s Total Cropland Area

(Data source: National Bureau of Statistics; Chart created by Nong Xiaofeng)

From a trend perspective, since 2010, the national cotton‑cultivation area has generally followed a fluctuating downward trajectory, with a peak of 67.8599 million mu in 2011 and a trough of 45.4226 million mu in 2021, representing a range of approximately 22.4373 million mu. On average, the area has remained around 50 million mu.

6.

Sugar crop planting area: approximately 25 million mu.

Sugar crops provide essential raw materials for the sugar industry. The main varieties include sugarcane, sugar beet, and sweet sorghum. In the north, sugar beet predominates, while in the south, sugarcane is the dominant crop. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2021, China’s total area planted with sugar crops was approximately 21.9 million mu, accounting for about 0.87% of the country’s total agricultural land.

Figure 7: Trends in China’s Sugar Crop Cultivation Area

(Data source: National Bureau of Statistics; Chart created by Nong Xiaofeng)

From a trend perspective, influenced by nationwide adjustments to the agricultural industrial structure, the national acreage devoted to sugar crops has generally followed a fluctuating downward trajectory since 2010. The peak occurred in 2012 at 28.2987 million mu, while the trough was recorded in 2021 at 21.90 million mu, yielding a range of approximately 6.3987 million mu. Over the years, the area has typically oscillated around 25 million mu.

7.

Oilseed cultivation area: approximately 200 million mu.

Oilseed crops are a group of plants whose seeds contain high levels of fat and can be processed to produce oils for food, industrial use, or as raw materials in the pharmaceutical sector. Major seed‑based oilseed crops include soybeans, peanuts, rapeseed, sesame, castor bean, sunflower, perilla, and chufa; perennial woody oilseed species comprise coconut, tea oil tree, oil palm, and walnut, among others. Seeds of fiber crops—such as cotton, flax, and hemp—also contain substantial oil content and serve as important feedstocks for the oil and fat industry. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2021 China’s total area planted with oilseed crops was approximately 197 million mu, accounting for about 7.79% of the country’s total cropland area.

Figure 8: Trend in China’s Oilseed Planting Area

(Data source: National Bureau of Statistics; Chart created by Nong Xiaofeng)

From a trend perspective, since 2010, the national acreage devoted to oilseed crops has generally followed a fluctuating downward trajectory, with a peak of 205 million mu in 2010 and a trough of 193 million mu in 2018, yielding a range of approximately 12 million mu. Over the years, the total area has remained roughly around 200 million mu.

Source: Natural Organic Living