英闻天下——139 Grain Imports Increase Three Folds in 2012

 　　China has seen an exponential increase of its grain imports last year.

 

　　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 Ministry¹ 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 quota² for importing the three types of grain.

 

　　Imports that exceed the quota are subject to much higher tariffs³ 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 quotas⁴.

 

　　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

1 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

2 quota   

n.（生产、进出口等的）配额，（移民的）限额

参考例句：

• A restricted import quota was set for meat products.肉类产品设定了进口配额。
• He overfulfilled his production quota for two months running.他一连两个月超额完成生产指标。

3 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

4 quotas   

（正式限定的）定量( quota的名词复数 )； 定额； 指标； 摊派

参考例句：

• In fulfilling the production quotas, John made rings round all his fellow workers. 约翰完成生产定额大大超过他的同事们。
• Quotas of the means of production are allocated by the higher administrative bodies to the lower ones. 物资指标按隶属关系分配。