China's key livelihood commodities, including grain, edible oil, meat, eggs and vegetables, are in ample supply with prices running steadily, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said Tuesday, reinforcing the country's food security position as autumn grain purchases top 100 million tonnes.
Zhang Luqin, deputy head of the NDRC's Department of Price, told a press conference in Beijing that vegetables, eggs, processed grain products and edible oil are sufficiently available and reasonably priced.
China's grain output has remained above 700 million tonnes in recent years, while the area planted with vegetables has remained stable with a modest increase, fully meeting the food needs of the country's 1.4 billion people.
The country feeds nearly 20 percent of the world's population with less than 9 percent of its arable land and has maintained a high level of grain self-sufficiency.
Zhang added that China is fully capable of responding to changes in market demand at any time.
The remarks came as the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration reported last Friday that more than 100 million tonnes of autumn grain have been purchased nationwide, matching last year's pace. The administration said smooth procurement is critical to securing farmers' livelihoods, stabilizing market prices and protecting national food security.
Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) period, Zhang outlined measures to keep prices of key livelihood commodities on an even keel.
"We will improve the monitoring and early-warning system and optimize long-term regulatory mechanisms. We will implement supportive policies such as the minimum purchase prices for rice and wheat, strengthen coordination between production and sales and cross-provincial regional collaboration, and ensure price stability through stable supply while promoting supply stability through price stability. We will promote the reasonable operation of prices for key livelihood commodities," she said.
China's key livelihood commodities in ample supply, prices stable
High-quality tilapia raised in Maoming City of south China's Guangdong Province now has greater access to dinner tables across the Asia-Pacific, as China deepens trade ties with regional markets.
In Maoming, tilapia ponds cover more than 17,000 hectares, making the city one of the world's major tilapia production hubs.
The city has been developing its tilapia industry for more than six decades, building it into a sector now worth over 1.4 billion U.S. dollars across the entire supply chain. Its products are sold in more than 70 countries and regions, including markets throughout the Asia-Pacific.
Early in the morning, while mist still hangs over the ponds, fish farmers are already out hauling in the catch. "The workers arrived at the pond at around 05:30 this morning. There are 17 people here to pull in the net. There's quite a lot of fish in this net, about 75 tonnes. That's why it's taking longer to haul it in," said Chen Wenqiang, head of the Aquaculture Department of a local agricultural technology company.
Chen belongs to a new generation of aquaculture professionals who emphasize eco-friendly practices to further improve fish quality.
"Fish need beneficial bacteria to keep their digestive systems healthy. Good fish farming starts with good water, so [the pond] also needs probiotics for better water quality. That is why we add probiotics during the fish farming process to improve both the fish's gut health and water quality. This helps keep the fish healthier and enables us to use fewer or no chemical materials, which makes our fish safer to eat," he said.
China is the world's leading tilapia producer and exporter, and much of Maoming's harvest is destined for overseas markets. Once taken from the ponds, the fish are quickly transported to processing plants, where they are sorted, cleaned and filleted before being frozen for shipment.
The latest data shows the city exported 74,000 tonnes of tilapia in the first half of 2026, up more than 51 percent year on year.
The foundation of this large-scale industry lies in high-quality fish fry, whose quality determines growth speed, disease resistance and, ultimately, the quality of the final product that reaches consumers.
"We have been operating for 22 years. We have achieved leading technical capabilities in areas such as selective breeding, nutrition, and land-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). Furthermore, we have brought together a team of world-class experts, and we currently hold a leading position in the market," said Cai Xingqi, general manager of a local fish fry breeding company.
Maoming's tilapia industry stands as a fine example of food trade between China and other Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies. In the first three quarters of 2026, food trade between the two sides reached nearly 120 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for more than half of China's total food trade.
China’s tilapia ascends to dining tables of Asia-Pacific countries
