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Jilin launches 5-year plan to boost grain output

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-07-03 16:27

CHANGCHUN -- Jilin Province has started an ambitious program to increase grain output by more than 5 billion kilograms within five years. If it succeeds, Jilin, in northeast China, will become the country's fifth-biggest grain producer after Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu and Heilongjiang provinces.

The program, seen as a national grain security issue, was approved on Wednesday by the State Council, the Cabinet.

Costing 26 billion yuan (about $3.72 billion), the program includes 10 major projects: water diversion, expansion of the irrigated area of Jilin's central and western regions, further mechanization of farming, cultivating and popularizing improved grain varieties and disseminating advanced farming techniques.

The funds will come from special government allocations and subsidies, bank loans and funds raised by Jilin Province, according to Vice Governor Wang Shouchen, who is in charge of agricultural affairs.

Wang said Jilin made a breakthrough by using a multi-faceted approach that included economic and social development, environmental protection and conservation, rather than just targeting higher production.

Jilin will have another 200,000 hectares of arable land under the plan. It will also upgrade 1.33 million ha of low- to medium-yield farmland and improve 2 million ha of high-yield farmland. It has 5.33 million ha of farmland and is capable of producing 25 billion kg of grain annually.

Situated deep in the Songliao Plain, which is formed by the Songhua, Nenjiang and Liaohe rivers, Jilin boasts fertile farmland and is one of the world's top three corn production belts.

Governor Han Changfu is upbeat about fulfilling the grain plan, since Jilin has ample land, fertile soil and a strong scientific base in agriculture.

"With the new program, Jilin, which has many natural advantages, will use its grain production potential more fully," said Han.

"Through improved water conservation, land reclamation, cultivation of high-grade farmland, promotion of mechanization and popularization of new grain varieties, Jilin can see its grain production capacity rise from the current 25 billion kilograms to 30 billion kilograms in five years or a bit more," he said.

Industrialization and urbanization has pushed up grain demand in China, while land and water shortages, as well as climate change, have hurt grain production.

Also at Wednesday's meeting, the State Council approved a plan to ensure China would be 95 percent self-sufficient in grain over the next 12 years after hearing how farmers faced tremendous challenges in increasing output.

The State Council agreed China faced grim challenges in grain security. It approved a plan to ensure grain output exceeds 500 billion kg by 2010 and 540 billion kg by 2020.

This year, the country could see the fifth consecutive bumper harvest of summer grain, the first such run of harvests since 1949, the Ministry of Agriculture has said.

Summer crops, which usually account for about 23 percent of the total annual grain output, would surpass the 115.34 billion kg produced in 2007, the ministry said.