Beijing, China
March 9, 2012
USDA/FAS GAIN report CH 12023
Report highlights:
On February 2012, the Government of China (GOC) issued the Grain Law (currently a draft) and an explanatory notice for the legislation. According to the explanatory notice, safeguarding national grain security is the fundamental purpose of the Grain Law. The draft law applies to grains, edible vegetable oil, and oilseeds, as well as the production, distribution, and consumption of these commodities. It also defines the roles and responsibilities for different administrative departments in managing grain production, processing, trade, reserves, and market information dissemination. For some of these areas, the law does not provide any details on implementation, which may be formulated later by other relevant government agencies.
Executive summary:
On February 2012, the Government of China (GOC) issued the Grain Law (currently a draft) and an explanatory notice for the legislation. According to the explanatory notice, safeguarding national grain security is the fundamental purpose of the Grain Law. In order to safeguard national grain security, the law states that the GOC will maintain stable grain production and domestic grain supplies, as well as strengthen regulation and supervision over grain distribution and ensure market stability. The government will also promote the rational utilization and conservation of grains and other commodities.
The draft law applies to grains, edible vegetable oil, and oilseeds, as well as the production, distribution, and consumption of these commodities. It also defines the roles and responsibilities for different administrative departments in managing grain production, processing, trade, reserves, and market information. For some of these areas, the law does not provide any details on implementation, which may be formulated later by other relevant government agencies.
The Chinese government is currently soliciting comments, which are due on March 31, 2012. No implementation date is specified in the current draft.
Full report