Abstract: Due to the prominent phenomenon such as high corn price, high corn yield and high corn inventory in recent years, some people think that China has lost advantages in corn production, thus they call on reducing corn planting area sharply and lower corn self-sufficiency rate. However, judging from economic and ecological view, corn production in China still has many advantages. This paper analyzed our advantages in corn by comparing with other crops, and with corn produced in the other countries from the following 5 aspects: planting distribution range, yield potential, cost-benefit, market demand prospect and irrigation requirement. The results showed that corn in China had extensive planting area, strong adaptability to natural conditions and huge yield potential; better planting efficiency than the other arid land crops, bigger reduce space in cost compared to the developed countries; extensive market demand, feed corn would become major requirement in future market; less irrigation water needed and higher utilization efficiency of water resources, helpful for saving regional water resources. In the long run, China should continue to play the corn advantages and not relax corn production.

Key words: corn, production advantages, yield potential, cost and benefit, feed demand, irrigation water demand

摘要： 近年来玉米高价格、高产量、高库存现象十分突出，有观点认为我国玉米生产已不具优势，呼吁大幅减少玉米种植，降低玉米自给率。然而从经济、生态角度来看，我国玉米生产仍然有很强的优势。通过对玉米与其他作物、我国玉米与其他国家玉米进行比较，从种植范围、增产潜力、成本效益、市场需求前景和灌溉需水量5个方面对玉米种植优势进行分析。结果表明，我国玉米种植区域广泛，单产潜力较大；种植效益相对其他旱田粮食作物好，且和发达国家相比成本有很大的降低空间；市场需求广泛，饲用玉米将成为未来主要需求；灌溉需水较少且水资源利用效率高，有助于区域水资源节约。我国应发挥上述玉米优势，从长远看，不应放松玉米生产。

关键词: 玉米, 生产优势, 单产潜力, 成本收益, 饲用需求, 灌溉需水