Chinese Vice Premier Hui
Liangyu met with Yuan Longping, the Chinese winner of the
international 2004 World Food Prize in Beijing on Monday. He passed
on the State Council's appreciation to him for his great
contributions in raising the nation's rice yield.
Yuan, dubbed the "father of hybrid rice," developed the world's
first hybrid rice variety in 1974, increasing rice output by
between 15 and 20 percent. He was awarded the World Food Prize this
month for his outstanding work.
The vice premier thanked Yuan for his creativity
and perseverance in promoting scientific agriculture and called on
all researchers in the sector to learn from him.
Hui noted that China's agriculture and rural
productivity should rely on science, which is crucial in developing
modern cultivation methods, increasing farmers’ incomes and
promoting rural economics.
He also said China should work ceaselessly to go on making bold
innovations and scaling new heights to make breakthroughs in
agriculture, technology and grain breeding.
(Xinhua News Agency October 26, 2004)
