BEIJING: China’s annual forest food production has surpassed 200 million metric tonnes, with per capita output reaching about 130 kilograms, leading the world according to China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA).
President Xi Jinping has called for adopting an all-encompassing food production approach, including harvesting from forests. China boasts over 226.7 million hectares of forest with 8,000 woody plant species containing rich food resources.
Forest foods include fruits, flowers, leaves, branches and products like edible oils, nuts, vegetables, beverages and seasonings from economic forests. It also covers livestock fodder supplementing diets.
“Forests boost food production, and China has huge forest food potential,” said NFGA official Gao Junkai. He estimates China has 500-1,000 economic forest tree species for food production.
Developing economic forests and under-forest economies through scientific forest use enhances China’s food supply capacity, diversifies sources, improv
es life quality and builds a diversified food system, Gao added. Forest food production also widens farmer income channels without occupying arable land.
China’s 700 million mu (47 million hectares) of economic forests rank first globally, with around 200 million tonnes of yield and 2.2 trillion yuan ($309 billion) of output value. The under-forest economy exceeds 1 trillion yuan annually.
Forest products comprise 20 percent of income in some forested areas, even 60% in major forest counties. Gao said 88 percent of former national-level impoverished counties developed economic forests, covering over 300 million mu with 60 million tonnes of yield and 500 billion yuan of output value, consolidating poverty alleviation and revitalization.
Multiple NFGA measures promote economic forest transformation, upgrading and high-quality development nationwide. “We need to extend the woody grain and oil industrial chain, boost green food deep processing, and lift ecological forest food supply capacity,” said Chinese Aca
demy of Forestry deputy director Chen Xingliang.
For instance, Fuping County, Shaanxi Province has extended its persimmon chain with over 10 derived products like wine and vinegar. The industry exceeds 6.5 billion yuan. With 360,000 mu growing over 280,000 tonnes of fresh persimmons and 70,000 tonnes of dried, enhancing this forest economy and food production system provides a model.
Source: Emirates News Agency