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China heads for record 2024 grain harvest of 700 mln T.

China's grain output is set to exceed a record 700 million metric lots this year, a key farming ministry official stated on Friday, calling for continued efforts to ensure steady supply.

That figure is 0.7% greater than the 2023 harvest of 695.41 million lots, data from the National Bureau of Data revealed.

Highly reliant on imports from Brazil and the United States to feed a population of 1.4 billion, the world's biggest grains manufacturer has stepped up investments in farm equipment and seed technology over the last few years in its mission for food security.

China's grain output has been steady for nine consecutive years at more than 1.3 trillion jin and this year is anticipated to surpass 1.4 trillion jin for the very first time, Zhang Xingwang, the vice minister for agriculture and rural affairs, informed a press conference in Beijing.

The volumes pointed out are comparable to 650 million tons and 700 million heaps, respectively.

However soybean stocks stay depending on imports and corn planting was still falling short of requirement, Zhang included.

National food supply and demand remains in a tight balance, with no substantial change, and so efforts to guarantee a stable and safe supply of grains can not be unwinded, he stated.

To improve yields, the ministry has actually picked and reproduced a number of high-oil and high-yield ranges of soybeans, he said.

The ministry also prepares steps on soybean processing aids and stock acquisition.

Another ministry official said state stockpiler Sinograin would increase the scale of its corn purchases, which would assist boost both farmer earnings and planting.

Pork prices were stable in the fourth quarter and hog earnings margins were set to remain at a normal level, the authorities included.

China has actually been grappling to recover from record low prices of pork, beef and dairy in the previous year after a fast growth of farms in the middle of declining intake resulted in an oversupply.

Efforts to reduce herd size have paid off, with prices moderating after farmers increase massacre of hogs, beef and dairy cattle. Zhang stated the growth rate of dairy cow breeding has slowed.

The ministry said it would keep monitoring the pace of production, particularly of hogs, as higher efficiency of reproducing plants has actually sent more piglets to market, which might hit rates next year.

China had about 40.62 million breeding plants by the end of September, it included.

(source: Reuters)