China's grain production will likely remain above 600 million tons this year, news portal chinanews.com reported on Tuesday, citing estimates from the Ministry of Agriculture.

It would be the fifth consecutive year for the country's grain production to stabilize above the 600 million ton level, which marks success in ensuring national food security and makes a great contribution to world food security.

For a country with 1.3 billion people, ensuring stable grain production and supply is not only essential for sound economic development and social stability; it is also an important basis for national security. Global grain trade is about 250 million tons a year, equivalent to merely half of China's annual food consumption. If China cannot achieve high levels of self-sufficiency, large-scale imports will cause a surge in global food prices, leaving aside the fact that the international market can't meet China's huge food demand. It would also make the country vulnerable to various risks in global competition. With a rising population, accelerating urbanization and improving living standards, China's food demand will still maintain robust growth, posing increasing pressure on supplies. It is a long-term task for China to ensure food security, which requires government wisdom and policy support.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, agricultural authorities at all levels have carried out supply-side structural reforms focusing on guaranteed supply, income and the environment to promote the modernization of agriculture. After five years of effort, remarkable progress has been made in six areas: grain production capacity, agricultural supply-side structural reform, agricultural modernization, rural reform, green agricultural development and farmers' incomes.

China has maintained a self-sufficiency rate of more than 98 percent in rice, wheat and corn production. It is a global responsibility to fight hunger and poverty. By producing one-fourth of the global grain output to feed one-fifth of the world's population with only 9 percent of the arable land, China successfully answers the question "Who will feed China?" which is undoubtedly a great contribution to the world.

The author is a reporter with the Global Times. bizopinion@globaltimes.com.cn