The amount of wheat, corn and rice the country imported from January to November 2012 soared 294 percent year on year.

 

　　According to customs figures, China imported a combined total of more than 10 million tons of the three grains in the first 11 months of 2012.

 

　　Responding to concerns over its grain supply security, the Ministry of Commerce says that grain imports have remained within a reasonable range despite rapid expansion last year.

 

　　The Ministry added that such an amount only accounted for less than half of the country's combined annual quota for importing the three types of grain.

 

　　Imports that exceed the quota are subject to much higher tariffs than those within the quota.

 

　　Moreover, the Ministry argued that it had taken grain supply security and the possible impact on global markets into account when setting the quotas.

 

　　For more on China's grain imports last year and the country's grain supply security, we cross live to Cao Can, CRI's financial commentator