China's agricultural product supply will tighten further, despite years of bumper harvest, state-owned China.com.cn quoted a government researcher as saying.

Rapidly rising food demand has shown no signs of slowing, Guo Wei, head of the rural department of the State Council's research office, told a conference Wednesday.

China's 2011 grain output rose for the eighth consecutive year to a record 571.21 million metric tons, but the trade deficit for agricultural products is expected to widen, he said.

The deficit will likely widen to about $40 billion in 2012 from $34.12 billion in 2011, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, a state-controlled think tank said in a report.

China is the world's top importer of cotton and soybeans and is also a major sugar importer.

-Zhoudong Shangguan contributed to this article; Dow Jones Newswires; (8610) 8400 7715; zhoudong.shangguan@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 18, 2012 23:18 ET (03:18 GMT)