Virtual cultivated land trade and sustainable utilization of cultivated land in main grain production regions in China

Abstract

Virtual cultivated land refers to the quantity of cultivated land resources needed during the production of goods and service. This paper chose four kinds of main grain products i.e. rice, maize, wheat and soybean, and calculated their trade volume of virtual cultivated land in main grain production regions. Based on the calculation of cultivated land pressure index in main grain production regions, cultivated land resources are under great pressure in general. Meantime, main grain production regions have large quantities of virtual cultivated land trade with the import and export of grain. This paper analyzed related factors influencing cultivated land pressure in main grain production regions and results showed that cultivated land pressure index was negatively related to virtual cultivated land trade, i.e. grain import had positive effects on sustainable utilization of cultivated land resources.