Chinese mainland announced on Wednesday preferential polices to facilitate Taiwan farmers starting business elsewhere in China.

Taiwan farmers, who plan to start business in the mainland's cross-strait agricultural co-operation experimental zones and business incubator parks for farmers, can directly make applications to county or city administrations for industry and commerce.

Compared with existing policies for Taiwan company's registration, the new policies for farmers is simplified, said Pan Haimin, an official with the State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC).

"The local administrations will directly approve qualified applicants and applicants need not get approval from the overseas fund administrations of the mainland," Pan said.

"The new polices have no minimum registered capital requirements for the applicants," he stressed at the regular press conference held by the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council.

Taiwan companies, which plan to open their companies on the mainland, must get approval from the overseas fund administrations and there are also requirements for minimum registered capital.

According to the polices, which will go into effect on Dec. 1 this year, farmers can engage in planting, aquatic breeding, animal or poultry farming, agricultural products processing, export and import of agricultural products, exchanges and promotion of agricultural technology.

Currently, 11 provinces have established cross-strait agricultural cooperation experimental zones and four provinces and municipalities have set up business incubator parks for Taiwan farmers.

Pan said the local administrations of commerce and industry will offer free consultations on these new policies and people can also log on the official website of the state administration www.saic.gov.cn for more information.

(Xinhua News Agency November 28, 2007)