Dim Sums: Agricultural Markets in China

Chinese leaders--apparently concerned about threats to national food security--have no new ideas after 8 years of Xi Jinping rule. The same Gollum-esque aphorisms about clinging tightly to food bowls were trotted out to address the "complex" and "severe" environment full of "uncertainty." These slogans were introduced in Xi's first year in power in 2013 and have been repeated over and over since then with no change or adjustment. Get a grip on food security. Don't let anyone grab it! A cloud of pessimism hung over the annual "economic work meeting" of China's top officials held December 8-10. Speakers moaned about the pandemic of the century, changes at a pace not seen in 100 years, weak demand, supply pressure and changing expectations. Officials were exhorted to "face up to the difficulties" and "restore confidence."   An official media account declared this the most pessimistic economic work meeting in t...

China produced another record grain harvest, according to a communique on 2021 grain production released by the National Bureau of Statistics . Output was 682.9 million metric tons (MMT), up 13.4 MMT or 2 percent from last year.  Compiled from China National Bureau of Statistics data. A Bureau official attributed the rise in grain production to strict control of cultivated land by each level of government carrying out their responsibility for grain production. Local leaders prevented farmland from being left idle, demanded that crops be planted on idle land, ensured cropland was not diverted to nongrain crops, reclaimed land for agricultural use, and increased farmers' enthusiasm for planting grain crops, the Bureau official explained. The report said 117.6 million hectares of land was planted in grain, up 0.7% from the previous year.  Corn production resumed to its historic steep path of growth after a 5-year interruption. Corn accounted for most of the increase in this year...