BEIJING - A prominent Chinese think tank forecast Wednesday China's grain output is likely to grow for the ninth consecutive year in 2012.

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on Wednesday make the prediction because it said grain prices have kept increasing in recent years, and the government has stepped up support for farmers with subsidies for grain crop growing.

The CASS forecast grain out this year may exceed 580 million tons. In 2011, China achieved a total grain output of 571.21 million tons, up 4.5 percent from the previous year, the eighth consecutive annual rise.