Interview: Rural China to see robust consumption: agriculture minister

BEIJING, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- China is unleashing the consumption potential of rural areas, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Tang Renjian has said.

In an interview with Xinhua, the minister pledged work to activate the rural market amid the country's efforts to promote rural revitalization and build up strength in agriculture.

Along with a rising income for rural residents, rural consumption is expected to accelerate upgrading, and it is expected that about 2 trillion yuan (about 290 billion U.S. dollars) of new consumption demand will be created annually, he said.

This year, the ministry will work on the supply and distribution channels to expand the output of green, organic, and new agricultural products, and expand the rural coverage of e-commerce and logistics, he said.

The ministry will input more on rural construction, Tang said. It is estimated that investment demand for rural construction, such as high-standard farmland and facilities, will hit nearly 15 trillion yuan in the next five to 10 years, and this will boost sectors such as building materials, cement, reinforcement, and machinery, he said.

More efforts will be made to build a number of storage and fresh-keeping facilities, cold chain distribution centers, and large cold chain logistics bases in the production areas, and further improve rural water, electricity, gas, living, and other conditions, he said.

More should be done to boost the development of rural industries in helping rural residents increase income. He highlighted efforts to expand the agricultural product processing and circulation industry, promote integration of agriculture, culture and tourism, develop rural e-commerce, and promote the whole-chain upgrading of rural industries.