Beijing Moves to Consolidate Agricultural Sector

South China Morning Post reported Aug. 14 that China's Agricultural Cultivation Bureau under the Ministry of Agriculture had taken control of around 1,700 farms and 3,200 agricultural companies in sectors that include seed distribution, dairy production and rubber cultivation. This followed several similar consolidations of smaller businesses into state-owned enterprises, including the China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corp. and Beidahuang Kenfeng Seed Co., to promote large-scale agribusiness. These efforts highlight Beijing's ongoing strategy to move toward agricultural modernization and implement rural reforms to fulfill its fundamental imperative to maintain food security for its massive population.