China's grain crop planting area is expected to surpass 100 million hectares this year, increasing nearly 2.7 million ha. over last year, reversing the downward trend of the past five years.

"China's grain production is now at a turning point to resuming the rapid development," said Chen Xiaohua, director in charge of the agricultural policy and regulations under the Ministry of Agriculture.

At a working conference held on Tuesday, Chen said that stimulated by supportive policies of the central government and the price increase of grain, farmers exhibited great enthusiasm for planting grain crops this year.

Chen noted that the output of summer grain this year reached 101 billion kilograms, up 4.6 percent over last year, setting a good start for the whole year's grain production.

The early rice also yielded good harvests, with output increasing by 4 billion kilograms. China is now expecting a good harvest for autumn grain crops.

"If there is no severe calamities occurring in the next period of time, the grain output target for the whole year is very likely," said Chen.

In the meantime, China is trying to expand the planting area of winter wheat to ensure a good summer harvest next year. The expected planting area will be 700,000 hectares more than last year's figure.

(Xinhua News Agency September 16, 2004)