Grain Output Slightly Down, Farmers' Income Up in 2001: Minister

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, February 04, 2002

Grain Output Slightly Down, Farmers' Income Up in 2001: Minister

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Chinese farmers' per capita net income grew over four percent in 2001, reversing the downward trend of income growth for four years in succession, Minister of Agriculture Du Qinglin said Monday.

Du said at a press conference that a number of major factors account for the growth of farmers' income, including higher prices of major farm products, especially grain prices, the development of animal husbandry, and increased income gained by farmers working in places other than their hometown.

Nevertheless, he said, farmers still do not have well- established means of income growth, as some traditional obstacles that affect farmers' income growth have not been removed.

Grain Output Down Slightly

China's grain output in 2001 is predicted to drop by some 1.9 percent to 450 million tons, Du said.

At a press conference Monday morning, the minister gave the estimation that the cotton output last year is expected to jump 20 percent to exceed 5.3 million tons, that of oilseeds would dip slightly to about 29 million tons, and the total production of sugar crops is predicted to grow 15 percent to about 87 million tons.

The production of vegetables is estimated at 445 million tons, up by five percent; while that of livestock and aquatic products would increase to various extends, he said.

Grain Output in 2002 to Hit 500 Million Tons

China's grain output in 2002 is expected to hit 500 million tons, according to the minister. "China is a large agricultural country with a large population, so any change in itsgrain output will influence other developing countries in the world. "

According to Du, every one percentage point drop in the grain output of China will result in an increase of 5 million tons of grain imports.

Du said that last year China overcame serious natural disastersand produced over 450 million tons of grain, adding that the growth of farmers' per capita net income began to recover after four consecutive years of a downward trend.

Du said China will maintain its strategy of self-reliance for grain demand and supply in the 21st century, and the rate of domestic grain supplied will be no lower than 95 percent.

The next five to ten years will be an important period for China's economic and social development, said Du, stressing that restructuring agricultural products and raising farmers' income will be the national agricultural departments' main tasks.

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