Grain supply concern amid fast urbanization: report

%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EChina%20needs%20to%20take%20measures%20to%20ease%20tightening%20grain%20supply%20as%20more%20rural%20farmers%20switch%20to%20non-agricultural%20jobs%20in%20the%20cities%2C%20a%20report%20released%20Tuesday%20warned.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EThe%20Annual%20Report%20on%20China%27s%20Urban-Rural%20Integration%202012%2C%20released%20by%20the%20Chinese%20Academy%20of%20Social%20Sciences%2C%20said%20%22As%20a%20great%20number%20of%20rural%20labor%20forces%20are%20moving%20to%20cities%20and%20industrial%20sectors%2C%20inadequate%20labor%20force%20is%20gradually%20becoming%20a%20key%20factor%20hindering%20the%20country%27s%20grain%20output.%22%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EIt%20continued%2C%20%22It%27s%20a%20pressing%20task%20to%20solve%20%27who%20will%20farm%20and%20grow%20grains.%27%22%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EOfficial%20figures%20show%20that%20China%27s%20grain%20output%20in%202012%20rose%203.2%20percent%20year%20on%20year%20to%20hit%20589.57%20million%20tonnes.%20However%2C%20the%20country%20faces%20a%20tightening%20grain%20supply%20amid%20the%20increasing%20demand%20driven%20by%20population%20growth.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EAccording%20to%20the%20report%2C%20cities%20and%20various%20industries%20are%20now%20%22in%20an%20increasingly%20obvious%20conflict%22%20with%20grain%20production%20concerning%20land%20as%20industrialization%20and%20urbanization%20are%20progressing%20speedily.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EThe%20report%20noted%20that%20ensuring%20grain%20safety%20is%20the%20most%20important%20mission%20for%20the%20stability%20of%20a%20nation%2C%20and%20as%20a%20large%20country%2C%20China%20must%20resort%20to%20domestic%20means%20to%20ensure%20the%20supply%20of%20agricultural%20products.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EThe%20report%20urged%20the%20country%20to%20pay%20equal%20attention%20to%20the%20quality%20of%20farm%20produce%2C%20as%20it%20directly%20affects%20consumers%27%20health%2C%20as%20well%20as%20the%20interests%20of%20the%20agricultural%20industry%20and%20farmers.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EIn%20December%20at%20a%20rural%20work%20conference%2C%20Minister%20of%20Agriculture%20Han%20Changfu%20said%20China%20has%20increased%20its%20imports%20of%20farm%20produce%20to%20meet%20domestic%20needs%20and%20plans%20to%20encourage%20more%20industrial%20and%20commercial%20enterprises%20to%20invest%20in%20agriculture.%3CBR%3E%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3E%28Xinhua%29%3C/P%3E%3C/FONT%3E