Statistics show that output value for feature industries in northeast China's Jilin Province has increased by almost 10 times to 11.8 billion yuan (about 1.42 billion US dollars) since 1978, accounting for 20 percent of the rural economy.

The province, a main commercial grain producer in China, has been leading the way in grain yield per capita volume and exports. However, economic returns have not been fairing well due to high productive costs and excessive grain yields across China.

Yang Qingcai, the provincial vice-governor, said that besides grain production, Jilin is also plentiful in oil plants, potatoes, vegetables, fruits and flowers and deer raising. All this has provided a favorable condition for developing feature industries.

About 100,000 hectares of wild land and slopes and 1.2 million hectares of forest areas have been cultivated for fruit planting.

Yang predicted that output value of gardening and feature industries will reach 18 billion yuan (2.2 billion US dollars) by the year of 2005, and per capita income from that will be 600 yuan. Gardening and feature industries are expected to account for 30 percent of the total value of rural economy by 2010. (Xinhua)