BEIJING: China’s food supply system is in a better position to cope with emergencies after pandemic-induced disruptions exposed vulnerabilities in supply chains, an official said Thursday.
The amount of grain and oil reserves in 36 large and medium-sized cities are capable of feeding local residents for 15 days, and most food producers have a “relatively high” level of raw material inventory, said Cong Liang, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, the nation’s top economic planner.
“With farmers holding reserves, China’s grain storage system has become more diverse and has strengthened its ability to ensure food security,” he told a news conference held by the State Council Information Office in Beijing.
Cong, also head of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, said there is already in place a nationwide network of 6,584 food processors, 4,846 storage and transportation companies, 3,542 delivery centers and 56,495 outlets that can be mobilized in times of emergency. The network is capable of supplying 1.64 million metric tons of food daily, enough to feed the entire population for two days, he said. The COVID-19 pandemic has tested food security nationwide and has highlighted the significance of emergency capacity building. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
