Grain production is at an all-time high, but the population continues to decline, and market-based farming is encouraged
Cereal production continues to hit record highs.
According to the data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, the total grain output of the country will reach 139082 billion catties in 2023, an increase of 177 percent over the previous year600 million catties, a year-on-year increase of 13%, which is the ninth consecutive year that China's total grain output has been stable at 1More than 3 trillion catties. This figure not only shows the steady growth of China's grain output, but also creates a record high for China's grain output.
The growth of total grain production is inseparable from the technological progress and political support of China's agricultural sector. In recent years, China's continuous progress in agricultural science and technology has made grain production more efficient and of better quality. For example, in the planting process, the application of new agricultural machinery and smart equipment has enabled farmers to better manage crops and soil, increasing food production. In addition, the introduction of agricultural support policies has also promoted agricultural development, including the issuance of subsidies and preferential policies to encourage farmers to invest more energy and resources in agricultural planting. As a result of these positive factors, our cereal production has reached record levels.
The population continues to decline.
In sharp contrast to the increase in grain production, the Chinese population has shown a continuous downward trend. The latest data shows that China's total population fell to 141.2 billion, an average annual decrease of 850,000 compared to 2021. In particular, judging from the upward trend in China's new birth population, it is likely that the population will continue to decline in the future. In recent years, China's annual number of new births has been declining, which means that China's total population is likely to continue to decline in the coming decades.
The main causes of population decline are manifold, including the increase in the level of socio-economic development, the improvement of people's living standards and changes in family size. With the continuous improvement of China's economic and social status, people's lifestyles are also gradually changing. Compared with the traditional subsistence demand, people have begun to pay attention to the quality and diversity of food, and the demand for agricultural products other than cereals, such as vegetables, fruits, animal products, etc., will increase, which will make food consumption relatively reduced.
In addition, with the advancement of urbanization, many rural populations have begun to migrate to cities. As a result, farmland in rural areas is left unused, and if farmers are not allowed to grow other cash crops on these lands, there is a high risk of abandoning them. Therefore, on the premise of ensuring the total grain output, the peasants should be allowed to practice market-oriented agriculture in order to improve the efficiency of cultivated land utilization and increase peasant incomes.
The necessity and feasibility of encouraging farmers to commercialize their land holdings.
1.Improve the efficiency of agricultural land use.
In some rural areas, growing cereals may not be the most suitable option due to climatic conditions or geographical limitations. Allowing farmers to grow cash crops that meet local conditions according to market demand will improve the efficiency of agricultural land use. For example, mountainous areas are suitable for growing specialty crops such as fruit and tea, rather than growing cereals on a large scale. Encouraging market-oriented agriculture will help reduce farmland abandonment and raise peasants' incomes.
2.Adapt to the updated needs of consumers.
With the development of the economy and the improvement of living standards, people have put forward higher requirements for the quality and diversity of food. While traditional cereals have been able to meet basic needs, the diversification of food demand has led to a demand for more agricultural products, such as vegetables, fruits and animal products. Encouraging farmers to engage in market-oriented agriculture can meet the diversified needs of consumers and promote the development of agricultural markets.
3.Increase peasant incomes.
By allowing farmers to engage in market-oriented agriculture, they have more flexibility in choosing crops and meeting market demand. Growing cash crops can increase farmers' incomes and improve their quality of life. At the same time, planting methods that meet market demand can also improve agricultural efficiency and promote the development of rural economy.
4.Scientific and rational use of soil.
Agricultural land should not be limited to the cultivation of cereals, and the appropriate introduction of cash crops can make scientific and rational use of land resources. For permanent farmland that is not suitable for large-scale mechanized farming, measures should not be taken to force the land to be cleared for grain cultivation, but farmers should be allowed to choose suitable crops according to market demand. Only in this way can we improve the overall efficiency of farmland and increase peasants' incomes.
On the basis of the principle of ensuring food security and a cap on the area of cultivated land, the diversity and sustainable use of agricultural land should be emphasized according to local conditions. ** While promoting agricultural restructuring and agricultural modernization, we can increase farmers' income by guiding farmers to plant cash crops that meet market demand and providing relevant support policies.
In short, food security has always been an important task for a country as populous as China, and the protection of arable land is also a top priority. While ensuring the total grain output and per capita grain output, it is also necessary to allow the peasants to choose cash crops to plant according to market demand, so as to improve the efficiency of cultivated land use and the level of peasants' incomes. To this end, scientific and reasonable policies should be formulated to encourage farmers to be market-oriented, and promote sustainable agricultural development and continuous increase in farmers' income.