Book Description

Abstract: A population of one billion people has the potential for enormous impact on the world food supply, but demographic and food production data for the People's Republic of China have been difficult to obtain. In an effort to fill this gap, two papers are presented which attempt ot synthesize and analyze as much information as is available and make predictions of probable trends in agriculture and related fields in the year 2000 and for the 1985 grain program. Records from 1952-77 are used to estimate cultivated land, animals, energy consumption, farm machinery, fertilizer, and output of grains, soybeans and cotton. The effects of industrailization and resources are considered. Trends are toward population control, although total demand will continue to grow; emphasis on agriculture seems to indicate that production will be capable of keeping up with demand, may result in some dietary improvement, but will not provide for emergency supplies.