China is a country with a large population and less arable land.
With only 7 percent of the world's cultivated land, China has to
feed one fifth of the world's population. Therefore, China's
agriculture is an important issue and draws wide attention of the
world. Some foreigners once raised the question, "Who will feed
China?" China's leaders and agriculture experts' reply was, "We
Chinese will feed ourselves."
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This sector has developed rapidly since reforms in the rural areas
begun in 1978. The major reforms were: the household contract
responsibility system, which restored to the farmers the right to
use land, arrange farm work, and to dispose of their output;
canceling the state market monopoly of agricultural products, and
of price controls over most of agricultural and ancillary products;
abolishing many restrictive policies, allowing farmers to develop
diversified business and set up township enterprises so as to fire
their enthusiasm for production. The reforms emancipated and
developed rural productive forces, promoted the rapid growth of
agriculture - particularly in grain production - and the
optimization of agricultural structure. The achievements have been
remarkable.
In the 1990s, China's agriculture and rural economy faced
unprecedented difficulties and challenges. But development momentum
maintained fairly good nonetheless, with most products in surplus
and supply and demand basically in balance every year. The
year 2004 was a turning point; with grain production of 469.47
million tons, reversing a five year decline. Now China leads the
world in output of grain, cotton, oil plants, fruit, meat, eggs,
aquatic products and vegetables.
Output per capita has risen significantly. In 2004, grain output
was 362 kg per capita; per capita figures for meat (pork, beef, and
mutton), milk, and aquatic products were above world averages,
reaching 44.6 kg, 17.4 kg, and 37.8 kg, respectively.
Increase in Outputs of Main Farm Products
(Unit: 10,000 tons)
| Type |
1978 |
1990 |
2000 |
2003 |
2004 |
| Grain |
30,477 |
44,624 |
46,218 |
43,070 |
46,947 |
| Cotton |
216.7 |
450.8 |
441.7 |
486.0 |
632.4 |
| Oil-bearing crops |
521.8 |
1,613.2 |
2,954.8 |
2,811.0 |
3,065.9 |
| Sugarcane |
2,111.6 |
5,762.0 |
6,828.0 |
9,023.5 |
8,984.9 |
| Beet |
270.2 |
1,452.5 |
807.3 |
618.2 |
585.7 |
| Cured tobacco |
105.2 |
225.9 |
223.8 |
201.5 |
216.3 |
| Tea |
26.8 |
54.0 |
68.3 |
76.8 |
83.5 |
| Fruit |
657.0 |
1,874.4 |
6,225.1 |
14,517.4 |
15,340.9 |
| Meat |
856.3 |
2,513.5 |
6,125.4 |
6,932.9 |
7,244.8 |
| Aquatic products |
465.4 |
1,237.0 |
4,278.5 |
4,704.5 |
4,901.8 |
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