China sharpens food security drive while recalibrating farm imports in 2026

China has reaffirmed food security as the cornerstone of its rural policy while signaling a more calibrated approach to agricultural imports under its 2026 “No. 1 Document,” released on February 3 by the Central Committee and the State Council. The policy blueprint maintains a grain production target of around 700 million metric tons, 50 million tons above the previous benchmark, and shifts emphasis from expanding output to improving quality and efficiency, according to a report by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service.

The document underscores stronger farmland protection, enforcement of a 120-million-hectare arable land “red line,” and continued investment in high-standard farmland and irrigation systems. It also calls for boosting soybean and oilseed production, supporting livestock and aquaculture, and strengthening disaster prevention systems. While imports remain essential — China imported USD 207 billion in agricultural products in 2025 — Beijing introduced new language on “coordinating agricultural imports with domestic production,” indicating closer management of import volumes to protect domestic producers while diversifying suppliers.

Entering its 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), China is also placing greater weight on agricultural modernization. The blueprint promotes “new productive forces,” including artificial intelligence, biotechnology seed breeding, drones, and robotics, aiming to build a modern, large-scale agricultural sector. Alongside production goals, the policy elevates rural living standards as a central objective, focusing on infrastructure, public services, environmental management, and mechanisms to sustain poverty alleviation gains.

Sources: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service