China bets on seeds, soil, stable overseas supply to lift crop yields
In China, Reuters reported that China aims to boost grain production capacity to 725 million metric tons over 2026-2030, prioritizing yield gains through technology, protection and seed innovation rather than farmland expansion, according to Chinese government reports.
The strategy, announced in the new five-year plan and annual reports to parliament, comes as resource security moves into focus after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
“The focus on per-unit yield increases is particularly important. China has limited scope to expand farmland or irrigation resources, so any meaningful increase in capacity has to come from productivity gains rather than acreage expansion,” said Matthew Nicol, a China agriculture policy analyst.
The reports said authorities will raise per-unit yields of grain and oil crops on large tracts of farmland, maintain stable rice and wheat production, and expand corn and soybean capacity.
With limited land and water resources, China will need to sharply increase farm productivity through technology, including investment in machinery and seed innovation, to meet long-term food security goals, according to the report.
Despite last year’s record grain output of 715 million metric tons, China remains heavily reliant on imports of agricultural products such as soybeans.
China’s latest plan also says it establishes “stable and controllable overseas supply channels”, diversifies agricultural imports and promotes synthetic biology and new protein sources to reduce import dependence, among other things.
Category: Food & Agriculture
