Farmers' income grows 4% annually
( 2003-11-06 16:42) (Xinhua)
Chinese farmers' income has been growing by an annual average of four percent
in recent years, according to Zhang Baowen, vice minister of agriculture.
Zhang was attending an agricultural forum of the 10th China Yangling Expo on
Agricultural High-Tech Products, that opened Wednesday in Yangling agricultural
high-tech zone in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.
According to Zhang, farmers' per capita net income in 2002 was 2,475.6 yuan
(US$298), or 4.3 times that of 1978, when China started its opening up and
reform drive.
The poor population in rural areas reduced from 250 million in 1978 to 28.2
million now, according to the vice minister.
Zhang said farmers' per capita cash income reached 1,802 yuan (US$217) in the
first three quarters of this year, up 3.8 percent from the same period last
year.
He predicted that farmers' income will increase by four percentin 2003.
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