China calls for measures to ensure stable corn production, supply

BEIJING, April 1 (Reuters) – China will adopt strong and effective measures to ensure the stability of corn and rice production and supply, state media said on Friday quoting Chinese Vice Premier Hu Chunhua.

The whole country would make great efforts to increase corn production to fill the gap between demand and corn production, Hu said during a video conference. Areas where corn plantations are declining are expected to accelerate recovery, Hu said.

He stressed that joint efforts should be made to ensure that maize planting areas and production in maize regions stabilize at last year’s levels.

China should tighten regulations on corn processing demand and strictly control the use of corn as fuel, Hu said.

This year’s maize production is threatened by China’s recent COVID-19 restrictions, which have caused a shortage of fertilizer in the country’s northeast breadbasket, although Beijing has repeatedly called every effort to ensure successful harvests.

(Reporting by Ella Cao and Dominique Patton; editing by David Evans)

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