Chinese farmers earned more income during the first quarter
compared with last year, the
National Bureau of
Statistics reported on Thursday.
Figures from the bureau indicate that farmers' per capita income
totaled 682 yuan (US$82.2) for the January-March period, an
increase of 46 yuan (US$5.5) from a year ago.
"This represents a year-on-year increase of 7.2 per cent when
considering the price factor," said Yang Junxiong, an official with
the statistics bureau.
The growth rate was 2.4 percentage points higher than the same
period of last year, also higher than the goal of 5 per cent set by
the government for the 10th Five-Year Plan (2001-05) period, Yang
said.
The higher income growth was mainly because farmers sold more
stockpiled farm products during the first quarter of this year, he
said.
Less taxes and fees collected by local governments also contributed
to the growth in income, he said.
During the first three months the per capita earnings of farmers
reached 252 yuan (US$30.4) - an increase of 10 per cent from
selling farm products.
Meanwhile, an average 9.6 yuan (US$1.2) in taxes and fees were
handed in to local governments, a decline of 11.6 per cent.
"But this does not mean we can be optimistic that farmers' per
capita income growth will reach the set target for this year," Yang
said. "There are still many uncertain factors such as drought and
floods, as well as the slow income growth from non-agriculture
sectors."
During the first quarter, farmers' earnings from the
non-agriculture sector rose only 8.7 per cent to 376 yuan
(US$45.3). The growth rate was 0.8 percentage points lower than the
same period of last year.
Xie Yang, a senior researcher with the Development Research Center
under the
State Council, said the government has always paid great
attention to increasing farmers' income, because it greatly affects
the implementation of the demand-stimulating policy.
"If consumption in rural areas cannot be stimulated, the full
expansion of domestic demands, a strong engine for economic growth,
will not be realized."
The government should continue to encourage farmers to go out and
find work in cities, as farmland in China cannot accommodate so
many farmers.
China also should prioritize the development of township businesses
and the expansion of small towns, create more job opportunities for
farmers and accelerate the resettlement of rural redundant
laborers, he said.
Meanwhile, the government should continue to simplify
administrative structures in rural areas, he added.
Ni
Hongri, another researcher with the center, said the government
also should further spread the "fees-for-tax" reform to reduce the
financial burden of farmers.
The reform, which is now carried out in more than 10 provinces,
municipalities and autonomous regions, is aimed at lightening tax
burdens on farmers by abolishing fees and charges, thus increasing
people's income.
(China
Daily April 26, 2002)