(Yicai Global) Dec. 10 -- China harvested more than 650 million tons of grain this year for the sixth year in a row, ensuring food security in a nation whose population exceeds 1.4 billion people.

The grain harvest -- which includes rice, wheat, corn, legumes, tubers and other smaller crops, rose 0.9 percent from last year to 669.49 million metric tons in 2020, according to data the National Bureau of Statistics published today.

The bumper haul was achieved thanks to a larger overall sowing area and generally better weather conditions during the growing season. The overall land seeded this year climbed 0.6 percent to 116.8 million hectares, while produce yielded per hectare rose 0.2 percent to 5.73 tons.

Rice production grew 1.1 percent to 211.86 million tons, while 0.5 percent more wheat fell to the scythe, bringing in 134.25 million tons. Corn fell about 0.04 percent to 260.67 million tons.

Editor: Ben Armour