China's grain purchases from the 2025 autumn harvest reached a relatively high level in recent years, marked by brisk trading activity and rising prices, according to official data released by the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration.

As of the end of April, when peak-season procurement concluded, various market entities nationwide had purchased more than 338 million metric tons of autumn grain.

The purchases included about 103 million tons of mid- and late-season rice, 222 million tons of corn and 12.99 million tons of soybeans, the data showed.

Authorities in Henan, Hunan and Heilongjiang provinces activated minimum purchase price programs for mid- and late-season rice, with a combined 4.18 million tons acquired. The programs aim to prevent grain prices from falling too sharply and protect farmers' incentives to grow grain.

Luo Shouquan, head of the administration's grain reserves department, said this season's autumn grain entered the market earlier than usual and was generally of good quality, boosting both farmer sales and enterprise purchases.

"The market showed strong momentum on both the supply and demand sides, with steadily rising procurement prices," Luo said.

Premium products commanded higher prices, with high-quality rice selling for about 3,200 yuan ($471) per ton and high-protein soybeans fetching more than 5,000 yuan per ton, highlighting a growing trend toward quality-based pricing.

During the procurement season, authorities strengthened coordination, refined policy measures and flexibly adjusted stockpiling efforts to better link production and sales, the administration said. Measures were also taken to encourage broader market participation and ensure smooth purchasing operations.

China is also preparing for the 2026 summer grain procurement season. The administration said it will step up market analysis, guide local governments and enterprises in drafting purchasing plans in advance, and work to keep the grain market stable while maintaining prices at reasonable levels.