National Grain Yield Hitting a New High in 2021

According to the grain production data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, it is showed that the total grain yield of China was 682.85 billion kg in 2021, increasing by 13.35 billion kg over the previous year, with a growth rate of 2.0%, and the annual grain yield hit a new record high, remaining above 0.65 trillion kg for seven consecutive years. The autumn grain yield was 508.9 billion kg, up by 9.55 billion kg over the previous year, with a growth rate of 1.9%.

I. Sown area of grain increased by 12.95 million mu, with a growth rate of 0.7%

In 2021, local governments fulfilled responsibilities for grain production level by level, enforced the strictest protection mechanism for arable land, resolutely curbed the "non-agriculturalization" of arable land, prevented the use of arable land for non-farming purposes", further increased supports for grain production, supported the reclamation of abandoned lands, developed fallow fields in winter, and improved farmers' enthusiasm for growing grain. The sown area of grain in China is 1.764 billion mu, up 12.95 million mu over the previous year, with an increase of 0.7%, which has achieved growth for two consecutive years.

(i) The sown area of maize and wheat has increased, while rice decreased slightly. In 2021, the national grain sown area was 1.503 billion mu, showing a growth of 33.2 million mu or 2.3% over the previous year. Since last year, corn prices have risen sharply, so that planting benefits have improved and farmers have become more willing to plant corn. The national corn sown area has reached 650 million mu, growing by 30.9 million mu or 5.0% over the previous year. Affected by favorable factors such as suitable soil moisture conditions during the sowing period and increasing planting benefits, the sown area of wheat was 354 million mu, increasing by 2.83 million mu or 0.8% over the previous year, reversing the momentum of decline for four consecutive years. The sown area of rice was 449 million mu, 2.31 million mu less than the previous year, with a decrease of 0.5%.

(ii) The area of beans has declined, while that of potatoes has increased steadily. In 2021, the national bean sown area was 152 million mu, 22.09 million mu less than the previous year, down 12.7%. Where there were 126 million mu of soybeans sown, 22 million mu less than the previous year, down 14.8%, mainly due to the low return of soybeans compared with corn and farmers' weakened willingness to plant. The sown area of potatoes nationwide was 110 million mu, with 1.84 million mu more than the previous year at an increase rate of 1.7%.

II. The per unit area yield of grain increased by 4.8 kg, up 1.2%

In 2021, flood disaster was triggered by extreme heavy rainfall in Henan and other places, local areas in northwest Shaanxi, Gansu and Ningxia suffered from periodic drought, and continuous rainy weather occurred in northern China and the Huang-Huai-Hai region during the autumn harvest, which caused a certain impact on autumn grain in some areas. However, the light, temperature and water matched well for most of the time in the major agricultural areas on a nationwide scale, and meteorological conditions were generally conducive to the growth and development of grain crops and yield attainment. At the same time, the area sown with the high-yielding crop maize expanded, accounting for a higher proportion of the grain crop and contributing to an increase in grain yields. A sampling survey of actual grain yield cut and measured showed that the per unit area yield of national grains was 387 kg/mu in 2021, realizing a growth of 4.8 kg/mu or 1.2% over the previous year.

(i) The per unit area yield of wheat and rice increased, while that of corn decreased slightly. In 2021, the per unit area yield of national grain was 421 kg/mu, revealing a growth of 1.4 kg/mu or 0.3% over the previous year, of which the per unit area yield of rice yields was 474 kg/mu, with an increase of 4.6 kg/mu or 1.0% over the previous year; that of wheat was 387 kg/mu, with an increase of 4.6 kg/mu or 1.2% over the previous year. Affected by flood disasters in Henan and Huang-Huai-Hai region, the per unit area yield of national corns was 419 kg/mu, showing a decrease of 1.7 kg/mu or 0.4% from the previous year.

(ii) The per unit area yield of bean declined and that of potatoes increased slightly. In 2021, the per unit area yield of bean was 129 kg/mu on a national scale, showing a decrease of 2.1 kg/mu or 1.6% from the previous year, of which per unit area yield of soybean was 130 kg/mu, with yields per mu down by 2.3 kg or 1.8% from the previous year. The per unit area yield of potatoes was 277 kg/mu nationwide, revealing an increase of 0.5 kg/mu or 0.2% over the previous year.

III. The total grain yield increased by 13.35 billion kg at a growth of 2.0%

In 2021, the yield of summer grain and early rice were 145.95 billion kg and 28 billion kg respectively, growing by 3.1 billion kg and 0.7 billion kg respectively over the previous year; the yield of autumn grain was 508.9 billion kg, showing a growth of 9.55 billion kg over the previous year. The total grain yield for the year reached 682.85 billion kg, which was up 13.35 billion kg from the previous year, with a growth of 2.0%.

(i) Growth has been attained for rice, wheat and corn yield. In 2021, the national cereal yield was 632.75 billion kg, which was 16 billion kg more than the previous year, with an increase of 2.6%, where the rice yield was 212.85 billion kg, showing a growth of 1 billion kg or 0.5% over the previous year; wheat yield was 136.95 billion kg, representing by a growth of 2.7 billion kg or 2.0% over the previous year; corn yield was 272.55 billion kg, showing a growth of 11.9 billion kg or 4.6% over the previous year.

(ii)The yield of beans has decreased significantly, while that of potatoes has increased. In 2021, the national bean yield was 19.65 billion kg, which was 3.2 billion kg less than the previous year, down 14.1%, where the soybean yield was 16.4 billion kg, which was 3.2 billion kg less than the previous year, down 16.4%. The national potato yield was 30.45 billion kg, which was 550 million kg more than the previous year, up 1.9%.

(iii)The three provinces in the northeast China and Inner Mongolia contributed significantly to the increase in yield. There are 27 out of 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) in China that attained grain yield increase. The total yield of three provinces in the northeast China and Inner Mongolia region was increased by 9.4 billion kg, contributing 70.3% to the national grain yield growth. The yield of Xinjiang, Anhui, Hunan, Sichuan and Shandong was increased by more than 500 million kg. Affected by the extreme heavy rainfall, Henan was severely affected by the disaster, so that its yield was reduced by 2.8 billion kg.

In 2021, the national grain yield had another bumper harvest. The grain yield remained stable at over 0.65 trillion kg for seven consecutive years, which provided strong support to ensure national food security, cope with the complex and volatile situation at home and abroad, and overcome various risks and challenges, and laid a solid foundation for a good start to the 14th Five-Year Plan to promote high-quality economic and social development and build a new development pattern.

Note: The national summer grain data has been revised based on actual wheat yield in Gansu, Ningxia and Xinjiang.

Source: Website of National Bureau of Statistics, December 6, 2021