THE STATE COUNCIL held a news conference on food security on Tuesday, in which it explained the recent rapid increase in grain imports despite the huge domestic reserves. People's Daily commented on Thursday:

Since the 2008 global financial crisis, the global grain market has changed because the supply has increased greatly while the demand declined. Considering the appreciation of the renminbi against the main global currencies, grain importing has become a profit-making business.

Thus voices have emerged calling for China to cancel its grain import quota. Some even claim the State should end the subsidies to grain producers. These have led to people doubting the government policies.