China is on track to surpass 700 million metric tons in grain yield for the first time, Vice-Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Zhang Xingwang said on Friday.

During a news conference organized by the State Council Information Office in Beijing, he said this milestone comes after China has consistently maintained yields above 650 million tons for nine consecutive years.

Zhang said that China has once again achieved a bumper harvest this year, with summer grain output reaching 149.78 million tons, marking an increase of 3.625 million tons compared to the previous year.

The output of early rice has remained stable at 28.175 million tons, and the plantation areas for autumn grain have expanded this year, leading to improved productivity across the board, he said.

As of Thursday, 82.5 percent of the autumn crops have already been harvested, indicating a successful season thus far.

Zhang noted that the soybean cultivation area, a crop heavily reliant on imports, has remained above 10 million hectares this year. The yield for soybeans is expected to stay steady, surpassing 20 million tons.