Rural Wheat Consumption in China

Abstract

The share of wheat in China's overall grain production and consumption has increased since economic reform. China is also a large wheat importer, but imports are erratic. In the literature, there is disagreement over future prospects for per capita wheat consumption in China and imports. Most of the wheat is consumed in rural areas where the majority of the population resides and where consumers have shifted from coarse grains and potatoes to wheat. We analyze rural wheat consumption using household data from two provinces. We find there is evidence to support a contention that China's per capita wheat consumption may not grow very fast in the future and could actually fall.