Supporting Data: Can the World Feed China – and Itself?

Can the World Feed China?

Supporting data for Lester R. Brown’s

Last updated 25 February 2014

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

100

200

300

400

500

600

Grain Consumption in China, 1960-2013

Source: USDA

Mill

ion

To

ns

Ear

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1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

5

10

15

20

25Grain Imports by China, 1960-2013

Source: EPI from USDA

Mill

ion

To

ns

Ear

th P

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y In

stitu

te -

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arth

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1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

-20

-15

-10

-5

0

5

10

15

20

25

Net Imports of Grain by China, 1960-2013

Source: EPI from USDA

Mill

ion

To

ns

Ear

th P

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y In

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Note: Net imports are imports minus exports.

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Soybean Production, Consumption, and Imports in China, 1964-2013

Source: USDA

Mill

ion

To

ns

Ear

th P

olic

y In

stitu

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w.e

arth

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Consumption

Production

Imports

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

100

200

300

400

500

600

Grain Production in China, 1960-2013

Source: USDA

Mill

ion

To

ns

Ear

th P

olic

y In

stitu

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ww

w.e

arth

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org

1950 1970 1990 2010 2030 2050 20701,320

1,340

1,360

1,380

1,400

1,420

1,440

1,460

Population in China, 1950-2010,with Projection to 2050

Source: UNPop

Mill

ion

Ear

th P

olic

y In

stitu

te -

ww

w.e

arth

-pol

icy.

org

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 20150

10

20

30

40

50

60

Meat Consumption in China, 1975-2013

Source: USDA, FAO

Mill

ion

To

ns

Ear

th P

olic

y In

stitu

te -

ww

w.e

arth

-pol

icy.

org

Pork

Chicken

Beef

Mutton and Goat

1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 20150

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

Meat Consumption per Person in China, 1975-2013

Source: USDA, FAO, UNPop

Kilo

gra

ms

Ear

th P

olic

y In

stitu

te -

ww

w.e

arth

-pol

icy.

org

Pork

Chicken

Beef

Mutton and Goat

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Pork Consumption in China and the United States, 1960-2013

Source: USDA

Mill

ion

To

ns

Ear

th P

olic

y In

stitu

te -

ww

w.e

arth

-pol

icy.

org

China

U.S.

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Pork Consumption per Person in China and the United States, 1960-2013

Source: USDA, UNPop

Kilo

gra

ms

Ear

th P

olic

y In

stitu

te -

ww

w.e

arth

-pol

icy.

org

China

U.S.

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Meat Consumption in China and the United States, 1960-2013

Source: USDA, FAO

Mill

ion

To

ns

Ear

th P

olic

y In

stitu

te -

ww

w.e

arth

-pol

icy.

org

China

U.S.

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

Meat Consumption per Person in China and the United States, 1960-2013

Source: USDA, FAO, UNPop

Kilo

gra

ms

Ear

th P

olic

y In

stitu

te -

ww

w.e

arth

-pol

icy.

org

U.S.

China

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

100

200

300

400

500

600

Grain Consumption in China, 1960-2013

Source: USDA

Mill

ion

To

ns

Ear

th P

olic

y In

stitu

te -

ww

w.e

arth

-pol

icy.

org

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

Feedgrain Use in China, 1960-2013

Source: USDA

Mill

ion

To

ns

Ear

th P

olic

y In

stitu

te -

ww

w.e

arth

-pol

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org

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

World Grain Consumption, 1960-2013

Source: USDA

Mill

ion

To

ns

Ear

th P

olic

y In

stitu

te -

ww

w.e

arth

-pol

icy.

org

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

World Feedgrain Use, 1960-2013

Source: USDA

Mill

ion

To

ns

Ear

th P

olic

y In

stitu

te -

ww

w.e

arth

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org

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

1

2

3

4

5

6

Rice Yields in China and Japan, 1960-2013

Source: USDA

To

ns

pe

r H

ect

are

Ear

th P

olic

y In

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w.e

arth

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China

Japan

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 20200

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Grain Use for Ethanol, Feed, and Food in theUnited States, 1960-2013

Source: EPI from USDA

Mill

ion

To

ns

Ear

th P

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y In

stitu

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ww

w.e

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Food

Feed

Fuel Ethanol

Jan-90 Jan-95 Jan-00 Jan-05 Jan-10 Jan-15 Jan-200

50

100

150

200

250

300

World Monthly Food Price Index, January 1990 – January 2014

Source: FAO

20

02

-20

04

= 1

00

Ear

th P

olic

y In

stitu

te -

ww

w.e

arth

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Jan-90 Jan-95 Jan-00 Jan-05 Jan-10 Jan-15 Jan-200

50

100

150

200

250

300

World Monthly Grains Price Index, January 1990 – January 2014

Source: FAO

20

02

-20

04

= 1

00

Ear

th P

olic

y In

stitu

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ww

w.e

arth

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To learn more about the global food situation…

read Full Planet, Empty

Plates: The New Geopolitics

of Food Scarcity by

Lester R. Brown. The book and supporting data sets

are available at

www.earth-policy.org

To learn more about Lester Brown’s personal history…

read Breaking New Ground by Lester R. Brown. The

book and additional materials are available at

www.earth-policy.org