On September 16, the State Council Information Office held a themed press conference on "High-Quality Completion of the 14th Five-Year Plan" series, introducing achievements in agricultural and rural development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. At the conference, a reporter asked about the increasingly diverse and abundant food supply on citizens' dining tables, inquiring about progress made in implementing the comprehensive food concept and building a diversified food supply system.
In response, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Maierdan Mugaiti stated that last year, the State Council issued a special document making comprehensive arrangements for developing food resources through multiple channels and approaches. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, working with local departments and relevant agencies, has implemented policy measures, emphasized technological support, and strengthened resource guarantees. Efforts have been made to obtain food from forests, grasslands, rivers, lakes, and seas, as well as from facility agriculture, and to derive calories and protein from plants, animals, and microorganisms, accelerating the construction of a diversified food supply system.
This progress is demonstrated in four main aspects:
First, significantly improving modern livestock industry development levels. Solid progress has been made in livestock industry transformation and upgrading, with continuously increasing livestock breeding scale rates and notably enhanced stable and safe supply capacity for livestock products. By the end of last year, total livestock product output reached 175 million tons, an increase of 27.78 million tons compared to 2020, representing 18.8% growth. China's per capita annual consumption of meat and poultry eggs reached 72 kg and 25 kg respectively, both exceeding world average levels. Per capita annual dairy consumption reached 40.5 kg, an increase of 2.3 kg compared to 2020.
Second, significantly improving modern fishery development levels. Through rational utilization of fishery resources, active development of large-scale ecological fisheries, scientific development of integrated rice-fishery farming, and accelerated development of deep-sea aquaculture, China is building a "blue granary." In 2024, China's total aquatic product output reached 73.58 million tons, a 12.3% increase from 2020. China has maintained the world's leading position in total aquatic product output for 36 consecutive years, with abundant and sufficient supplies of various aquatic products including fish, shrimp, crab, and shellfish.
Third, significantly improving facility agriculture development levels. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China's facility agriculture developed rapidly, with cultivation facility areas reaching 40 million acres and annual facility vegetable production exceeding 200 million tons, basically achieving year-round balanced supply. For example, edible fungi now largely come from facility agriculture, with annual production reaching over 42 million tons, accounting for 85% of global output. Facility fruits such as strawberries, cherries, and watermelons have extended market seasons, meeting diverse and personalized demands of urban and rural residents.
Fourth, significantly expanding agricultural development space. Efforts have been made to expand from traditional crops and livestock resources to richer biological resources, accelerating the development of biotechnology and bio-industries, successfully breaking through key core technologies, and continuously introducing new food products. Algae cultivation technology ranks among the world's leading levels, with many varieties already appearing on citizens' dining tables.
Maierdan Mugaiti pointed out that while food development sources and channels continue to expand, Chinese residents' nutritional health levels have become more balanced. According to expert calculations, urban and rural residents' intake of the three major nutrients - protein, fat, and carbohydrates - approaches developed country levels. It can be said that Chinese people can now not only eat their fill but also eat better, healthier, and more nutritiously.
Comments