China: Draft Measures on Farmland Protection Published for Comment

On January 26, the People’s Republic of China published draft “Measures for the Management of Red Lines for Protection of Permanent Basic Farmland,” for public comment through February 26, 2024. This report contains a brief analysis and an unofficial translation of the draft regulations. There is no date scheduled for enforcement. The Measures stipulate that “Permanent Basic Farmland” must be used for grain production instead of other crops. Moreover, the measures layout legal parameters on how other land can be used or designated for agricultural production. It is possible that the long-term impact of the Measures could result in greater grain production efficiencies and larger-scale farm operations.