Objective The SWOT-AHP analysis model was applied to make the best strategic choice for grain inspection institutions.Methods The strengths （S）， weaknesses （W）， opportunities （O） and threats （T） faced by grain inspection institutions on the basis of SWOT framework was analyzed. The strategic quadrangle was constructed with analytic hierarchy process （AHP）.Results Based on the analysis of current situations and problems， this paper points out that the WO strategy may be the best choice， which was to overcome internal weaknesses by taking advantage of opportunities in the external environment.Conclusion The study provides a new perspective and reference to build a better grain inspection systemsin China.