China Economic Review: Disaster prevention and reduction means increasing production and income | Autumn grain | Disaster reduction

China's grain production is divided into three seasons: summer grain, early rice, and autumn grain. Currently, the summer harvest has been abundant, and the early rice harvest is progressing in an orderly manner. Autumn grain production accounts for three-quarters of the annual grain production and is the largest producer of grain. Meteorological disasters are the biggest uncertainty factor in whether there will be a bountiful autumn harvest this year. We must firmly establish the concept that "disaster prevention is to increase production and reduce losses is to increase income", adhere to bottom line thinking, be proactive, and make every effort to do a good job in autumn grain flood control and drought resistance to ensure a bountiful harvest.

The latest data released by the National Bureau of Statistics shows that the total summer grain production this year is 292.26 billion catties, a decrease of 2.55 billion catties from 2022, a decrease of 0.9%. Among them, the wheat yield was 269.1 billion catties, a decrease of 2.45 billion catties from 2022, a decrease of 0.9%. The summer grain production remained stable with a slight decrease, but still ranked second in history, achieving a bountiful harvest. The abundant summer grain harvest has laid a solid foundation for stable annual grain production, provided strong support for promoting sustained economic recovery, accelerating the construction of a new development pattern, and focusing on promoting high-quality development.

Upon closer examination of the reasons for the decrease in summer grain production, it was found that it was caused by a slight decrease in yield per unit area. This year, under the combined effect of various factors such as strengthening farmland protection and use control, increasing support for grain production, adjusting planting structure, and driving up wheat prices, the summer grain sowing area has continued to increase, but there has been a slight decrease in summer grain yield per unit area. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the summer grain yield this year is 366.1 kilograms per mu, a decrease of 4.3 kilograms per mu from the previous year, a decrease of 1.2%. Among them, the wheat yield per mu was 389.0 kilograms, a decrease of 5.2 kilograms per mu from the previous year, a decrease of 1.3%.

The person in charge of the Rural Department of the National Bureau of Statistics believes that the decrease in summer grain yield is mainly due to the severe "rotten rain" weather in Henan and other areas. In late May, there was widespread rainfall in the northern wheat region, which lasted for a long time, had a large amount of rainfall during the process, and had a wide range of impacts, resulting in insufficient sunlight during the grain filling period of wheat and a decrease in thousand grain weight. Especially in Henan, the duration of continuous rainfall coincides with the maturity and harvest period of wheat, and severe "rotten field rain" weather has caused some areas to sprout and sprout wheat, resulting in a significant decrease in summer grain yield. In addition, the southwest region experiences continuous drought in winter and spring, and the summer grain yield in Yunnan, Guizhou and other regions has decreased.

Agriculture, especially grain production, belongs to the industry of "watching the sky and eating". The yield reduction of summer grain has become a foregone conclusion. The production of early rice has been affected by rainstorm and high temperature weather. The biggest uncertainty factor faced by autumn grain production is also meteorological disaster. At present, the country has entered the flood season and midsummer season, which are also critical periods for autumn grain production and disaster prevention and reduction. According to the prediction of national climate trends and major meteorological disasters in midsummer recently released by the National Climate Center of the China Meteorological Administration, there are more extreme weather and climate events in midsummer this year, with severe meteorological disasters such as high temperature heat wave, periodic heavy rainfall, rainstorm and flood.

The occurrence of extreme weather is a rare event, but once it occurs, it can bring enormous harm. We must always tighten the string of disaster prevention and reduction, place disaster prevention and reduction, and increase production in a more important position, and never slack off in all aspects of disaster prevention and reduction work. Efforts should be made from multiple departments to strengthen the construction of monitoring and early warning systems for agricultural and rural areas, water conservancy, and meteorological disasters, enhance the ability to respond to extreme weather, and effectively prevent and respond to major agricultural disasters. We need to strengthen the assessment of the responsibility system for food security and tighten the main responsibility of local party committees and governments at all levels for disaster prevention and reduction. Strengthen the capacity building of emergency service teams for agricultural disaster prevention and reduction, widely carry out policy promotion and technical training, and enhance the awareness of disaster prevention and reduction among farmers. Ensure the implementation and effectiveness of agricultural policies, encourage farmers to scientifically prevent and reduce disasters, achieve "dragon mouth grabbing grain" and "insect mouth grabbing grain", and ensure stable production and increased income in autumn grain production.

Agricultural insurance is an important tool for effectively resolving agricultural risks, playing a positive role in improving agricultural disaster prevention and reduction capabilities and maintaining national food security. At the critical moment of summer grain harvest this year, the main wheat producing areas experienced continuous rainy and cloudy weather, especially in some parts of Henan Province, which suffered the most severe "rotten rain" in nearly a decade, causing considerable losses to grain farmers. Henan Province promptly issued a notice on doing a good job in wheat insurance claims, allowing farmers who suffered losses to receive timely compensation and minimize losses. In order to benefit more grain farmers, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the State Administration of Financial Supervision and Administration and other departments recently jointly issued a notice to expand the implementation scope of full cost insurance and planting income insurance for the three major grain crops of wheat, rice, and corn, from major grain producing counties in major provinces to all major grain producing counties in the country, further improving the level of agricultural insurance protection.

It has to be said that during the implementation of agricultural insurance, there are still problems such as unclear compensation standards, generally low compensation amounts, and difficult claims, which reduce the sense of gain for farmers and affect their willingness to purchase agricultural insurance. The relevant departments should accelerate the improvement of relevant systems, so that agricultural insurance can truly play a role in sheltering farmers from wind and rain.