China boosts grain buying with minimum price programs to support farmers and market

China's summer grain purchases have entered their peak period, with grain companies and other market operators buying more than 90 million metric tons of wheat nationwide, the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration said on Monday.

The latest data showed that wheat purchases are progressing smoothly overall, while early-season indica rice in southern China has begun entering the market in large volumes.

To protect farmers' interests and support grain prices, authorities have activated minimum purchase price programs for early indica rice in Jiangxi and Hunan provinces and for wheat in Henan province since the beginning of August.

The programs are designed to provide a policy floor for grain prices and help stabilize market expectations, the administration said.

The administration will continue to combine market-based purchases with government-supported grain reserves while closely monitoring weather conditions, including rainfall.

It will guide local authorities to strengthen grain drying and storage capacity, as well as help farmers reduce post-harvest losses.

Authorities will also deepen cooperation between major grain-producing and consuming regions and strengthen links between grain farmers and enterprises to ensure farmers can sell their crops smoothly, it said.