Amidst the coronavirus pandemic and the outbreak of the African Locust in Africa and in China’s neighboring countries, India and Pakistan, the Chinese people are concerned whether China will run into a food shortage this year. Hubei Province, Chong Qing, and other places have seen people buying up rice and flour.
Radio Free Asia reported that a secret document from the Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture (AP), Gansu Province was posted on the Internet. The document showed that on March 17, the Linxia AP Party Commission held a special meeting on the topic of food security.
“The AP Party Commission and AP government, as well as the governments of its counties and cities should do everything possible to move in and store various kinds of food materials such as grain, beef, lamb, oil, and salt through different channels.” It also asked the government to “lead people to store food on their own and to ensure that each family has at least three to six months supply in reserve.”
China is the world’s largest food importing country. In addition to importing 80 percent of its soy beans, China also imports 100 million tons of grain. However, when dealing with the coronavirus, several countries imposed a ban on food exports. On March 24, Vietnam announced a ban on rice exports; Kyrgyzstan banned the export of 11 commodities, mainly food, for the next six months; Kazakhstan banned the export of agricultural products such as wheat and carrots; Thailand announced that it would stop exporting rice and eggs.
Xinhua, the Communist Party’s mouthpiece, published five articles between April 2 and April 10, to soothe the public’s concern, claiming that China has plenty of food and will not run into a shortage. The articles include:
- “Food Crisis” Is Coming? Expert: China Has Ample Food Supplies (“粮食危机”来了？专家：中国主粮充足)
http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2020-04/02/c_1125802258.htm - Shortage of Food Supplies? You Worry Too Much (粮食供给短缺？多虑了)
http://www.xinhuanet.com/fortune/2020-04/04/c_1125813049.htm - Our Food Supply Can Handle Many Tests (我国粮食供应能应对各种考验)
http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2020-04/09/c_1125830368.htm - Pandemic Caused Worry about “Food Safety”? Grain and Oil Companies: No Need to Stock Up (疫情引发“粮食安全”担忧？粮油企业：无需囤粮)
http://www.xinhuanet.com/food/2020-04/09/c_1125833298.htm - There is a Sufficient Food Inventory, However, We Should Pay Attention to Saving Food ( 粮食库存充足 仍要念好“节约经” )
http://www.xinhuanet.com/food/2020-04/10/c_1125836035.htm
Excerpt in Chinese:
爆发于武汉的新冠肺炎已经肆虐全球，引起中国民众对粮食需求产生恐慌心理。湖北、重庆等地出现了抢购潮。中国新华社等官方媒体多次强调中国主要粮食充足。不过，一份署名“中共临夏州委办公室”的所谓秘密文件最近在网络热传。该文件显示，3月17日，临夏州委召开专题会议，就粮食安全工作进行专题安排部署。”其中写道：“州委州政府和各县市要通过多种渠道千方百计调运储备粮食、牛羊肉、油盐等各类生活物资”，同时要“引导动员群众自觉存粮，确保每户储备3至6个月粮食，以备不时之需”。该文件标注日期为2020年3月28日。
有约14亿人口的中国乃是全球最大的粮食进口国，其中近80%的大豆需依赖于进口，每年还要进口超过一亿吨粮食。十天前越南宣布自3月24日起禁止出口大米；吉尔吉斯斯坦也禁止6个月内出口11种商品，主要是粮食与食品；哈萨克斯坦禁止小麦、胡萝卜等农产品的出口、泰国宣布停止出口大米和鸡蛋。
Source: Radio Free Asia, April 2, 2020
https://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/huanjing/ql1-04022020060748.html