China's summer grain procurement surpasses 50m tonnes

BEIJING -- China's summer grain procurement has entered its peak season, with cumulative purchases exceeding 50 million tonnes nationwide, which is a relatively high level for recent years, the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration said on Thursday.

Procurement operations are progressing in an orderly manner across all regions, and the market is maintaining stable operations. Premium wheat varieties are selling well at higher prices than standard wheat, reflecting demand for high-quality products, the administration said.

China has continued to implement its minimum-purchase-price policy in major wheat-producing regions this year. So far, the provinces of Henan, Anhui and Hebei have activated their implementation plans for the policy, procuring approximately 1.8 million tonnes of wheat under the scheme.

As China enters its primary flood season, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has initiated a 100-day campaign to boost yields, mitigate disasters and secure autumn grain production, which is pivotal to China's food security.

To secure the autumn harvest and achieve China's grain production goal of approximately 700 million tonnes this year, the ministry will deploy teams to guide field management for robust seedlings, disaster prevention and pest control.