The Chinese mainland has taken significant steps to reinforce its emergency food supply in response to the increasing frequency of extreme weather events and natural disasters, an official announced on Wednesday.
With the establishment of over 1,200 grain market information monitoring stations across the nation, the country is closely tracking changes in grain inventories, prices, and sales to promptly identify and mitigate potential risks, stated Liu Huanxin, head of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration.
Local food authorities at provincial, municipal, and county levels have developed comprehensive contingency plans, resulting in the activation of more than 59,000 emergency food supply outlets nationwide, Liu added.
Despite global fluctuations in food markets in recent years, the Chinese mainland has maintained relatively stable food prices. This stability is attributed to consecutive bumper harvests, ample inventories, and effective market regulatory measures, Liu explained.
Moving forward, the country plans to enhance its minimum grain purchase price policy and fully utilize its grain reserves to ensure an adequate supply and stable prices for its population of over 1.4 billion.
China's annual grain output has remained above 650 million tonnes for nine consecutive years, achieving full self-sufficiency in its two staple grains, wheat and rice.
(Cover: Terraced fields in Guilin City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. /CFP)
Reference(s):
China intensifies emergency food supply against extreme weather events
cgtn.com
