Published : 28/09/2024
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) 75 years ago, the country has weathered storms and undergone tremendous changes.
This series, "Extraordinary 75 Years", provides a deep dive in China's achievements and breakthroughs over the past 75 years.
This article, as the 5th one of the Chapter of Political and Economic, guides you through the journey of how China's grain production increased fivefold over the past 75 years, with the people moving from not having enough to eat to now having more than enough and eating well.
9% of the world's arable land feeds nearly one-fifth of the population
Food is the most basic element of human life, but ensuring that all Chinese people can eat enough has been unattainable throughout history. Why has it been so difficult for all Chinese people to eat enough?
Although China is large, it has a large population, and its arable land and water resources are relatively very tight, and arable land and water are the most basic conditions for food production.
The media often mentions a set of figures: China needs to use 9% of the world's arable land and 6% of the world's water resources to feed nearly one-fifth of the population. Although these are contemporary figures, they also reflect historical conditions.
At the founding of New China in 1949, a significant number of people were indeed hungry. That year, the total national grain output was 113 million tonnes, and the per capita share was less than 209 kilograms.
The figures might seem substantial at first glance, but two points should be noted: First, these are primarily unprocessed or unhusked "raw grains", so the actual edible portion is significantly reduced.
Second, these are per capita grain figures, but it does not mean that all of it is food for human consumption; a considerable portion is used for animal feed and industrial raw materials, such as corn, which can be processed into ethanol.
Slow development and large grain shortage in the early years
For example, Hong Kong residents consume less than 40 kilograms of rice per capita each year, but that is already processed and husked rice. One major reason why Hong Kong residents do not consume much rice is that there is an abundance of meat, dairy products, and other secondary food sources.
How much grain is considered enough? The internationally recognized safety line is 400 kilograms per capita. The severity of China's 209 kilograms in 1949 can be imagined.
At the beginning of the founding of New China, land reform was implemented, and farmers were allocated land. The authorities also focused on increasing agricultural infrastructure such as water conservancy to strive to enhance grain production.
However, due to realistic constraints, as well as certain measures during the subsequent agricultural collectivization movement and the People's Commune, the productivity growth in agriculture was inhibited, leading to a long period of low-speed development in Chinese agriculture.
As a result, the absolute shortage of grain persisted, and the situation rapidly deteriorated during times of continuous natural disasters.
Household contract responsibility system stimulates farmers' initiative
In fact, China's grain production did not surpass the 200 million tonnes mark until 1966 and only exceeded 300 million tonnes in 1978, while the population increased from over 500 million in 1949 to over 900 million during this period. The per capita grain share still did not reach the safety line.
Due to the significant grain shortage, rationing and grain coupons became a part of people's lives at that time; without coupons, one could not buy grain even with money, which was a common understanding.
Chinese people distanced themselves from the memory of starvation only after the Reform and Opening-up.
In the new era of Reform and Opening-up, it goes without saying that the authorities strengthened agricultural infrastructure and improved agricultural technology, but the decisive factor for the increase in grain production at this time was the implementation of the household contract responsibility system, also known as "household contract responsibility system" or "Da Baogan."
Simply put, it means that farmers contracted the usage rights and production tasks of farmland, and the surplus harvest after fulfilling the tasks belonged to themselves.
The agricultural tax was abolished in 2006
Compared to the communal "big pot of rice" of the People's Commune, the new policy of "more work, more pay" stimulated the enthusiasm of farmers, which significantly promoted grain production, bringing China closer to the food security line.
In 1984, a Chinese government representative announced at the FAO conference that "China had basically solved the problem of food and clothing."
Five years later, China's grain output steadily reached a new level of 400 million tonnes. In 1992, grain coupons, which had faded from public view, completely withdrew from the historical stage.
Entering the 21st century, the authorities continuously improved agricultural support policies on this basis and provided subsidies for agricultural machinery. China's grain production saw robust growth again.
During this period, another epoch-making event occurred: the agricultural tax, which had existed in China for over 2000 years, was completely abolished in 2006.
This measure greatly enhanced farmers' enthusiasm and liberated rural productivity.
Per capita grain production of 490 kilograms, higher than the world average
A set of dazzling figures emerges on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of New China: In 2023, China's grain production exceeded 695 million tonnes, which is six times (increased by five times) that of 1949; per capita grain production exceeded 490 kilograms, well past the internationally recognized safety line and higher than the world average.
More importantly, besides having enough food, Chinese people are enjoying an increasing variety of non-staple foods, and they have moved from merely eating their fill to eating well. Similarly, in 2023: China's vegetable production was nearly 800 million tonnes, aquatic products 71 million tonnes, dairy 42.81 million tonnes, and meat 96.41 million tonnes. This does not include import figures.
The magnitude of 10 million-tonne figures may be hard to grasp. Comparing the figures from 75 years ago and recent years will be more intuitive.
In 1949, the average per capita meat consumption in China was only 4 kilograms, which translates to a little over 10 grams per day; a package of frozen chicken sausages commonly seen in supermarkets weighs over 300 grams, with each sausage weighing over 30 grams. In 2022, the per capita meat consumption in China, including poultry and aquatic products, reached 118 kilograms.
"Our rice bowl should mainly contain Chinese grain"
Of course, from a modern perspective, excessive meat consumption is not necessarily beneficial. Therefore, as more Chinese people enjoy eating well, they are also pursuing healthier diets, and coarse grains and wild vegetables, which had long been ignored, sometimes become more popular than fine grains and meat.
Additionally, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of New China, a grain security issue that must continue to be emphasized is food self-sufficiency. To use the words of leader Xi Jinping, "The rice bowl of Chinese people must always be firmly held in our own hands, and it should mainly contain Chinese grain."
Why should the rice bowl mainly contain Chinese grain? Now that China has some "family savings," why can't we rely on "foreign grain" to solve the problem of having enough to eat?
As China enters industrialization and as international grain prices fall, sometimes even cheaper than China's self-produced grain, there are always those who think that it is no longer important for China to grow its own grain.
But everyone must know that the global food available for trade is still insufficient to meet China’s consumption.
Moreover, relying on imported food is prone to being controlled by others, which at best can lead to price surges affecting the economy, and at worst may result in a "choke point" where even money cannot buy food.
95% grain self-sufficiency ensures red line of 1.8 billion Mu of arable land
Entering the third decade of the 21st century, the global food crisis caused by the pandemic, extreme weather, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict has plagued many countries, but it has had very limited impact on China, which values keeping its rice bowl in its own hands.
Eating is a top priority, and risks must be avoided. Therefore, as a country with a population of 1.4 billion, China must ensure a high rate of food self-sufficiency and cannot have a "weak spot."
The standard proposed by the authorities is a 95% grain self-sufficiency rate, with principles of self-reliance, leveraging domestic resources, ensuring production capacity, moderate imports, and technological support.
China currently achieves over 95% grain self-sufficiency, reaching "basic grain self-sufficiency and absolute food security." However, maintaining this in the long term is not easy.
A critical factor is to adhere to the red line of at least 1.8 billion mu of arable land amidst rapid social development. Without sufficient arable land, nothing else can be discussed.
By the way, China’s absolute food security mainly pertains to staple foods. In recent years, the country imports over a hundred million tonnes of food annually, primarily for feed and industrial uses rather than staple foods.
Read more: How China establishes the world's largest social security system?