People's Daily Review: Saving grain and reducing losses are equally important as increasing and stabilizing production. Cold chain | Grain | Increasing production
Food security is the top priority of the country, and reducing food loss is an important way to ensure food security. Although China's grain production has achieved "nineteen consecutive harvests", the phenomenon of grain loss and waste has always existed. A survey shows that every year, the weighted average loss and waste rate of seven major categories of food in China, including vegetables, fruits, aquatic products, grains, meat, dairy, and eggs, is 22.7%. If the loss can be reduced by half, 230 million tons of food can be saved annually, meeting the nutritional needs of 190 million people for one year. Such waste is regrettable and heartbreaking, and also serves as a warning.
The reasons for waste are multifaceted. For example, there are significant losses and waste in the process of grain production, with some areas experiencing extensive sowing, poor harvesting, and management discounts. As the saying goes, "90% mature, 10% harvest, 10% mature, 10% discard", whether the particles can be returned to the warehouse largely depends on how and how much they are collected. Compared to traditional methods that rely on manual labor in the past, the promotion and popularization of agricultural mechanization and intelligence have improved the efficiency of cultivation and harvesting, but there is still great potential in reducing grain loss. Many places have made efforts to reduce grain loss rates through the methods of "low loss and excellent varieties+high-quality agricultural machinery+skilled agricultural machinery operators+timely harvesting", and have achieved remarkable results.
The transportation and storage process of grain is also a major disaster area for reducing losses. Either lacking professional knowledge, constrained by facility conditions, or encountering extreme weather conditions, there are many cases of grain mold and decay, and even the phenomenon of "selling one cart and half cart rotting" occurs. Especially for fresh fruits and vegetables, the weak foundation of cold chain logistics can easily lead to transportation losses. In response to the "leakage" in the transportation and storage process, relevant departments attach great importance to the construction of specialized grain post production service centers, providing professional cleaning, drying, storage and other services. At the same time, promote the application of new equipment for grain transportation, accelerate the construction of cold chain logistics for storage and preservation in production areas, and strive to reduce losses through refined management.
In addition to production, storage, transportation and other processes, waste on the consumer end should not be underestimated. Some grains are excessively processed and finely processed, resulting in a continuous decrease in grain yield; Some people, for the sake of so-called "eating and broadcasting", indulge in food while secretly inducing vomiting, causing great food waste; Some people believe that "ordering more dishes is more generous" and extravagant and wasteful during takeout, banquet and dining... These practices not only violate the social trend of "practicing thrift and opposing waste", but also objectively have a negative impact on food security.
One Congee and one meal are hard won. Currently, the total supply and demand of grain in China is in a tight balance, and the food security situation remains severe. It is important to be aware that reducing grain losses means increasing production. It is necessary to build a full chain food loss reduction system and work together in production, storage, transportation, sales, supply chain management, and other aspects. It is necessary to have a better understanding of the practical significance of grain loss reduction, and everyone is responsible for grain loss reduction; We also need to strengthen basic scientific research in various aspects of technology, and effectively promote the application of achievements in the entire grain industry chain; We need to strengthen legislation and supervision in the system, establish a long-term mechanism, and resolutely stop food and beverage waste.
To secure China's rice bowl, we need to cultivate both tangible and intangible fertile land. From farmland to dining tables, from concept to action, we place equal importance on saving grain and reducing losses, as well as increasing and stabilizing production. By linking them together and working hard for a long time, we can definitely promote effective savings and losses in all aspects of the food industry chain, and effectively ensure the foundation of food security.
