TAIPEI—Yuan Longping, China’s “Father of Hybrid Rice” and member of the Chinese Engineering Academy, said that he has information about false reports regarding China’s state grain depots. According to his information, at least two depots are actually empty. These Chinese government grain depots are subsidized and false reports were made in order to receive subsidies. Furthermore, empty grain depots can be used to make benefits instead of store grain.
When interviewed by China Youth Daily, Yuan pointed out that although the Chinese government has an examination system, oftentimes local governments have their own methods of measure. “I suggest we carefully check the amount of grain that we truly have,” said Yuan who is now a member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
He suggested that Chinese officials should make random checks from time to time by “Incognito Travel,” rather than through official channels so as to find out the true situation.
Yuan is now the Director of China’s National Hybrid Rice Technology Center, a Chief Advisor for the FAO of the United Nations, Vice Chairman of Hunan Science and Technology Association and Vice Chairman of Hunan’s CPPCC Committee. In April of 2006, he was also elected as a Foreign Academician of the United States Academy of Sciences.
Yuan has been studying hybrid rice since 1964 in Hunan province. He spent nine years to select the seed Nanyou No.2, an excellent seed which is suitable for large area application in southern China. For this, he was awarded China’s first national Principal Invention Award in 1981 and the highest Award of Science and Technology from the Chinese government in 2001.
