Hong Kong Bauhinia Magazine:

A cold front has swept across the country recently, and the Spring Festival is coming. Given this, what is the current production and supply situation of "vegetable basket" products (non-staple foods) nationwide? What measures will be adopted to ensure supply? Thank you. 

Lei Liugong:

Thank you for your concern about the work related to "vegetable basket" products. Non-staple foods, I would say, have always been closely related to people's wellbeing. The supply of meat, eggs, milk, as well as aquatic products and fruit and vegetables, is something that the public is most concerned about, especially before the approach of the Spring Festival. In this regard, the general offices of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council have jointly released a circular to ensure well-coordinated work on all fronts for the New Year's Day and the Spring Festival break, emphasizing efforts to enforce the system whereby city mayors assuming responsibility for the "vegetable basket."

The CPC Central Committee has always attached great importance to the stable and secure supply of non-staple foods for people's livelihoods. Generally speaking, the supply of non-staple foods was sufficient in 2023, and the overall operation of the market was stable. Last year, total acreage and output of vegetables continued to grow. The total vegetable acreage was over 78 million mu as of late December, with its output reaching more than 21 million tonnes, an increase of over 800,000 mu and 600,000 tonnes year on year, respectively. Meat output, including pork, beef, mutton, and poultry, was more than 96.41 million tonnes, an increase of 4.5% year on year. Moreover, the output of aquatic products witnessed growth as well. The wholesale price index of non-staple foods, which is compiled on the basis of data collected from around 200 agricultural wholesale markets, stood at 124.91 in 2023, edging down from the same period in previous years. Moreover, the prices of some expensive fruits decreased as well. All municipalities directly under the central government, cities specifically designated in the state plan, and provincial capitals have attached great importance to the work related to the "vegetable basket," and have therefore made great efforts to ensure production, transportation, quality, and price stability. By doing so, the supply has been sufficient, diversified, and remained at steady prices.

We have an overall judgment on the supply of non-staple foods during the Spring Festival that you expressed concern about. I would say that the total supply of "vegetable basket" products will be guaranteed. Production capacity of meat, eggs, and milk was sufficient in the first quarter of 2024, according to monitoring data. In January, vegetable acreage witnessed a steady increase, laying a solid foundation for the supply of "vegetable basket" products. However, short episodes of freezing weather or snowstorms might be witnessed in some areas in winter and spring due to the influence of both El Nino and global warming, which would pose some risks and challenges to the provision of agricultural supplies. Given this, the MARA has made some arrangements to ensure the supply of non-staple foods during the Spring Festival. 

Going forward, we will make stepped-up efforts in the following five aspects. First, we will ensure that relevant parties shoulder their responsibilities. We will make sure that city mayors perform their due responsibilities for the "vegetable basket," and urge local governments, especially those of large and medium-sized cities, to improve their contingency plans for ensuring the provision of agricultural supplies. We will make sure that their response and measures adopted will be made based on different levels and categories. Second, we will ensure production stability. We will ensure the implementation of measures for preventing and mitigating disasters, as well as ensuring vegetable production according to different areas and categories. We will make coordinated efforts to ensure the production of pork, beef, mutton, poultry, and fresh milk, as well as aquatic breeding. Third, we will strengthen supervision. We will strictly fulfill our responsibilities for supervising the quality and safety of agricultural products and ramp up efforts to monitor risks in major areas, categories, and key links so as to ensure the quality and safety of agricultural products. Fourth, we will improve alignment. We will encourage local governments to implement the "green lanes" policy for fresh agricultural products transportation and help major producing areas establish stable cooperation with large and medium-sized cities. We will also improve trans-regional contingency mechanisms to ensure the provision of agricultural supplies and emergency response mechanisms for unsalable agricultural products. Fifth, we will make monitoring one of our top priorities. We will strengthen production scheduling for non-staple foods and market operation monitoring and release information concerning supply and demand in a timely manner to stabilize market expectations. Thank you.