Chinese authorities issued their first policy document for 2012 on February 1, underscoring the importance of scientific and technological innovation for sustained agricultural growth.

China will intensify its efforts to encourage the development of both frontier agricultural technologies and basic research, so as to maintain sustainable agricultural growth, said the document issued jointly by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council, China's cabinet.

It said the government will lend support to agricultural research focusing on bio-safety, farm product safety, the effective use of farmland, ecological restoration and genetic regulation.

According to the document, the country will continue to expand its fiscal budget for agriculture in 2012 and direct more of the country's fixed asset investment toward the sector.

Government data show China's grain output rose to a record high of 571.21 million tons in 2011. The figure represented a yearon- year increase of 4.5 percent and marked the eighth consecutive year of growth for the country's grain output.