China has achieved another year of bumper grain harvest in 2025, with the total output hitting a record high of 714.88 million tonnes, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed on Friday. The figure represents a year-on-year increase of 1.2 percent, according to the NBS. The bumper harvest is driven by increases in both planting area and per-unit yield, according to Lyu Xiutao, deputy director of the Crop Production Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. "This year, the country's grain planting areas expanded for the sixth consecutive year, particularly with corn, a high-yield crop, seeing an increase of 3.3 million mu (about 220,000 hectares), laying a solid foundation for a bumper harvest this year," he said. In addition, China has strengthened its action plan to expand the planting of soybeans and oil crops, involving 702 counties. Key measures have been implemented to enhance the integration of quality land, seeds, machinery, and agricultural practices, which have improved technical implementation rates and equipment compatibility, facilitating balanced production increases across vast areas. "In 2025, nationwide grain planting areas utilizing integrated water and fertilizer management reached over 88 million mu (about 5.87 million hectares), with dense planting in the Northeast covering 89 million mu (about 5.92 million hectares). In the Huang-Huai-Hai region, drought-resistant and lodging-resistant varieties have been promoted, increasing the number of plants by 200 to 500 per mu. In the southern region, centralized rice seedling cultivation expanded to 75 million mu (5 million hectares). These initiatives have consistently unlocked yield potential, with improvements in per-unit yield accounting for more than 90 percent of the overall increase in grain production," said Lyu. The authorities have also rolled out technical guidelines for disaster prevention and mitigation concerning crops affected by spring droughts, summer heat, or autumn rains. The central government has allocated over 6 billion yuan (about 850 million U.S. dollars) in financial assistance for drought resistance, flood prevention, and pest control, aimed at minimizing losses. "In 2025, China's grain production has achieved another high-yield increase, setting a record high. Seasonally, the main growth occurred in autumn grains. Regionally, the increases were primarily in the Northeast and Northwest. Inn terms of crops, the primary increase was in corn," said Lyu. SHOTLIST: FILE: Heilongjiang Province, northeast China - Date Unknown 1. Aerial shots of harvest in progress; Beijing, China - Dec 11, 2025 2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Lyu Xiutao, Deputy Director, Crop Production Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs: "This year, the country's grain planting areas expanded for the sixth consecutive year, particularly with corn, a high-yield crop, seeing an increase of 3.3 million mu (about 220,000 hectares), laying a solid foundation for a bumper harvest this year."; FILE: Anhui Province, east China - Date Unknown 3. Aerial shots of irrigation system working; Beijing, China - Dec 11, 2025 4. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Lyu Xiutao, Deputy Director, Crop Production Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (ending with shots 5-7): "In 2025, nationwide grain planting areas utilizing integrated water and fertilizer management reached over 88 million mu (about 5.87 million hectares), with dense planting in the Northeast covering 89 million mu (about 5.92 million hectares). In the Huang-Huai-Hai region, drought-resistant and lodging-resistant varieties have been promoted, increasing the number of plants by 200 to 500 per mu. In the southern region, centralized rice seedling cultivation expanded to 75 million mu (5 million hectares). These initiatives have consistently unlocked yield potential, with improvements in per-unit yield accounting for more than 90 percent of the overall increase in grain production."; FILE: Heilongjiang Province, northeast China - Date Unknown 5. Aerial shots of harvest in progress; FILE: Gansu Province, northwest China - Date Unknown 6. Aerial shot of farmers in field; FILE: Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest China - Date Unknown 7. Aerial shots of harvest in progress; FILE: China - Exact Location and Date Unknown 8. Corns; Beijing, China - Dec 11, 2025 9. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Lyu Xiutao, Deputy Director, Crop Production Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (starting with shot 8/ending with shots 10-12): "In 2025, China's grain production has achieved another high-yield increase, setting a record high. Seasonally, the main growth occurred in autumn grains. Regionally, the increases were primarily in the Northeast and Northwest. Inn terms of crops, the primary increase was in corn."; FILE: Hubei Province, central China - Date Unknown 10. Aerial shot of drones spraying pesticide over farm; FILE: Heilongjiang Province, northeast China - Date Unknown 11. Harvested soybeans; 12. Corn niblets; FILE: China - Exact Location and Date Unknown 13. Aerial shot of drones spraying pesticide over farm. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]