March 21 marks the International Day of Forests, with this years theme highlighting the vital function forests play in food production.Chinas forest food output exceeded 200 million tonnes in 2024, sealing its location as the nations 3rd crucial farming sector after grain and veggies, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.Beyond their ecological benefits, forests provide a varied series of food, from nuts, fruits and oils to mushrooms, herbs and even animals raised under forest canopies.
China has been actively promoting this sector by broadening financial forests and motivating sustainable farming in woodland areas.Over the past decade, China has actually presented policies to increase forest food production, such as nationwide advancement guidelines for understory farming and tactical strategies for essential crops like oil tea and hazelnuts.
In 2024, the nation also launched an updated Ecological Product Catalogue to enhance resource management.Thanks to these efforts, Chinas forestry market reached a total output value of over 10 trillion yuan (about $1.4 trillion) in 2024, a 9.6 percent increase from 2023.