China has a large population but little arable land. With only
seven percent of the world's cultivated land, China has to feed one
fifth of the world's population. China's agriculture, therefore, is
an important issue that attracts worldwide attention. Some
foreigners once raised the question: "Who will feed China?" "We
Chinese will feed ourselves!" replied China's leaders and
agriculture experts.
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Chinese agriculture has developed rapidly since reform in rural
areas began in 1978. The major reforms were: the household
responsibility system with remuneration linked to output, which
restored to farmers the right to use land, arrange farm work, and
dispose of their output; canceling the state monopoly on purchase
and marketing of agricultural products, and price restrictions on
most agricultural and ancillary products; abolishing many
restrictive policies, allowing farmers to develop a diversified
economy in rural areas and run township enterprises so as to fire
their enthusiasm for production. The reforms emancipated and
developed rural productive forces, promoted the rapid growth of
agriculture Ð particularly in grain production Ð and the continuous
optimization of agricultural structure. The achievements have been
remarkable. China now leads the world in output of grain, cotton,
oil-bearing crops, fruit, meat, eggs, aquatic products and
vegetables.
With the continuous growth, agricultural products has shown a
clear increase in output per capita. In 2005, grain output per
capita was 371 kilograms, and per capita figures for meat (pork,
beef and mutton), milk, and aquatic products were above world
averages, reaching 47.2 kg, 21.1 kg and 39.2 kg, respectively.
In 2004, the Chinese government put into effect the policy of
reducing or exempting agriculture taxes. At the end of 2005, the
Standing Committee of the National People's Congress decided to
abolish agriculture taxes statutes that have been in effect of some
50 years. The objective of this measure is to reduce farmers'
burdens, enhance basic agriculture and shrink the gap between urban
and rural areas.
Increase in Outputs of Main Farm
Products
(Unit: 10,000 tons)
|
Type
|
1978
|
1990
|
2000
|
2004
|
2005
|
|
Grain
|
30,477
|
44,624
|
46,218
|
46,947
|
48,402
|
|
Cotton
|
216.7
|
450.8
|
441.7
|
632.4
|
571.4
|
|
Oil-bearing crops
|
521.8
|
1,613.2
|
2,954.8
|
3,065.9
|
3077.1
|
|
Sugarcane
|
2,111.6
|
5,762.0
|
6,828.0
|
8,984.9
|
8663.8
|
|
Beet
|
270.2
|
1,452.5
|
807.3
|
585.7
|
788.1
|
|
Cured tobacco
|
105.2
|
225.9
|
223.8
|
216.3
|
243.5
|
|
Tea
|
26.8
|
54.0
|
68.3
|
83.5
|
93.5
|
|
Fruit
|
657.0
|
1,874.4
|
6,225.1
|
15,340.9
|
16,120.1
|
|
Meat
|
856.3
|
2,513.5
|
6,125.4
|
7,244.8
|
7,743.1
|
|
Aquatic products
|
465.4
|
1,237.0
|
4,278.5
|
4,901.8
|
5,106.1
|
|