China to promote agriculture growth

The Ministry of Agriculture, has proposed to keep the growth rate of rural incomes above 7-and-a-half percent next year. Rural incomes have seen a ninth consecutive year of rapid growth, which represents an upturn in living standards in the countryside.

In the first three quarters of 2012, the per capita income of China's rural population was 6,778 yuan, close to that for the whole of 2011.

Experts are confident of a ninth consecutive year of growth.

Li Guoxiang, Researcher of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said, "The income of the rural population is expected to exceed that of the urban population this year. It is extremely rare to see the income gap between rural and urban areas narrowing."

The latest data shows ninety percent of farmers' income comes from household business operation and wages.

An analyst from the Ministry of Agriculture says priority should be given to encouraging and supporting rural people to start their own businesses.

With more and more young migrant workers flowing into developed cities, many left in the rural areas are children, the middle-aged and elderly.

Who will do the farming has become an big issue.

China plans to increase policies to support new businesses, including family-operated farming and raising livestock.

Measures include funding aid and technical training to give farmers knowledge and skills and to promote sustainable agricultural development.