CONTENTS

1 General Surveys

Rural Development

Crop Farming

Forestry

Animal Husbandry

Feed Industry

Fisheries

Township Enterprises

State Farms and land Reclamation

Farm Mechanization

Agricultural Machinery industry

Farm Chemicals industry

Water Conservancy

Meteorology

Rural Environmental Protection and Energy Sources

2 Rural Economic Policies

Major Economic Policies for Rural Areas

Steady Development of Agricultural insurance

Do a Good Job in Grain Production

implementing "Three System" for Routine Monitoring and Management

of Burdens on Farmers

Review of Anti-Poverty Work

Comprehensive Development of Agriculture

Building Forestry Work Stations Nationwide

New Stage of East-West Cooperation of Township Enterprises

Farmland Water Conservancy Projects

investment in Agriculture

State Finance Support for Agriculture

Rural Credit from Agricultural Bank of China

Rural Credit of China Agricultural Development Bank

Operation of Rural Credit Cooperatives

investments in Agricultural Capital Construction and Fixed Assets

Purchasing Farmers' Surplus Grain at Protective Prices

New Progress in Restructuring of Production and Marketing of

"Vegetable Basket" Products

Supply and Demand of Farm Produce

Changes in Prices on Market of Farm Produce

import and Export of Farm Produce

industrial Management of Agriculture

3 Agricultural Science and Technology

Significant Results Achieved from the Activities in the Agricultural

Science and Technology Extension Year

Activities for the Year of Forestry Extension

Ten Major Agrotechniques for Extension

Top Ten Forestry Techniques for Extension

Ten Major Technologies for Extension in irrigation and Drainge

Agro-Technical Electronic information Network

Summary of the Top lOO Agricultural Research institutes

National Key Laboratories

Achievements in Scientific Research

4 Agricultural Education

Production-Study-Research Cooperation Education in Agricultural

institutions of Higher Learning

Deepening Forestry Educational Reform

Basic Statistics of Agricultural institutions of Higher Learning 1997

Basic Statistics of Agricultural Secondary Specialized Schools 1997

5 International Cooperation of Agriculture

Summary of Foreign Affairs in Agriculture

Summary on External Exchange and Relation in Forestry

A Survey of Foreign Affairs in the Water Resources Sector

An Overview of the External Affairs of the Chinese Meteorological Service

Major Foreign Activities in Agriculture

Major Events in international Cooperation in the Water Sector

UN WFP Aid Gratis to the Project of integrated Agricultural

Development Project in Hebei

integrated Agricultural Development Project in Hunan and Hubei

Aided Gratis by WFP

Second Working Meeting of the World Bank Poverty-Alleviation Projects

Shouning Social Forest Project

Germany-Aided Shanxi Poplar Tree Breeding and Afforestation Project

Asian Ministerial Conference on implementation of UNCCD

iNBAR Founded in Beijing

China-Japan Technical Cooperation - Tianjin Dairy industry

Development Project

6 Natural Disasters to Agriculture

Natural Disasters in Agriculture

Plant Diseases, Pests and Rodent Damages

Forest Diseases and Pests Control

Natural Disasters by Region, 1997

Farm Crops Diseases and Pests by Region, 1997

Farm Crops Damaged by Weeds by Region, 1997

Farm Crops Damages and Control of Rodents by Region, 1997

Forest Diseases and Pests and Rodent Damages by Region, 1997

Number of Forest Fires by Region, 1997

Grassland Pests and Rodents Damages by Region, 1997

Number of Grassland Fires by Region, 1997

7 Chronicle of Agricultural Events

Chronicle of Agricultural Events, 1997

8 Statstics of Agricultural Economy, 1997

Agricultural and Non-Agricultural Population by Region, 1997

Basic indicators of Rural Area by Region, 1997

Output Value of Agriculture, Forestry, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries

by Region, 1997 (Calculated at 1997 current prices)

Output Value of Agriculture, Forestry, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries

by Region, 1997 (Calculated at 1990 constant prices)

Per Capita Yield of Major Farm Crops by Region, 1997

Output and Sown Areas of Major Farm Crops, 1997

Sown Areas and Multiple Cropping index of Farm Crops by Reyion, 1997

Sown Areas and Yields of Major Farm Crops by Region, 1997

Area of Tea Plantation and Orchard by Region, 1997

Output of Tea by Region, 1997

Output of Fruit by Region, 1997

Areas and Output of Major Tropical and Subtropical Crops, 1997

State-Owned Units in Forestry by Region 1997

Staff and Workers of State-Owned Units in Forestry by Region, 1997

(Year-end figure)

Afforested Area by Region, 1997

Areas Afforested with Different Methods by Region, 1997

Output of Forest Products by Region, 197

National Total of Major Livestock Slaughtered and Output of Animal Products

Number of Major Livestock and Poultry Slaughtered the Same Year

by Region, 1997

Output of Meat by Region, 1997

Output of Other Animal Products by Region, 1997

Demestic Animals in Stock by Region, 1997 (Year-end figure)

Domestic Animals in Stock, 1997 (Year-end figure)

Organizations of Fishermen by Region 1997

Output of Aquatic Products by Region, 1997

Catch of Sea Ftshing by Region, 1997

Area of Coastal Seawater Breeding by Region, 1997

Area of Freshwater Breeding by Region, 1997

Per Hectare Catch of Freshwater Breeding by Region, 1997

Motorized Fishing Vessels by Region, 1997 (Year-end figure)

Non-Motorized Fishing Vessels by Region, 1997 (Year-end figure)

Township Enterprises by Region, 1997

Employment of Township Enterprises by Region, 1997

Township Enterprises Added Value by Region 1997

Major Economic indexes of Township Enterprises by Region, 1997

Output of Major Products of Township Enterprises by Region, 1997

Export of Township Enterprises by Region, 1997

Basic indicators of State Farms by Region, 1997

Major Economic indicators of State Farms by Region, 1997

(Calculated at 1997 current prices)

Gross industrial and Agricultural Output Value of State Farms by

Regoin, 1997 (Calculated at 1990 constant prices)

Sown Area and output of Crops in State Farms

Area and Output of Major Tropical and Subtropical Crops of State Farms

by Region, l997

Major Output of industrial Enterprises of State Farms by Region, 1997

Major Farm Machines by Region, 1997 (Year-end figure)

Area of irrigated Farmland by Region, 1997

Soil Erosion Area under Control by Regions, 1997

Flood-Free Areas by Region, 1997

Number and Holding Capacity of Reservoirs by Region, 1997

Embankments by Region, 1997

Annual Mean Temperature in Major Cities, 1997

Annual Mean Precipitation in Major Cities, 1997

Annual Sunshine Hours in Major Cities, 1997

Main Energy and Material Consumption by Region, 1997

Basic indicators of Rural Households

Per Capita Net income of Rural Households

Average Annual Net income Per Farmer by Region, 1997

Rural Household Per Capita Living Expenditure by Region, 1997

Rural Household Per Capita Living Cash Expenditure by Region, 1997

Rural Household Per Capita Major Food Consumption by Region, 1997

Possession of Major Durable Consumer Goods Per lOO Farmers

by Region, 1997

(3) Forestry and water conservancy

maintained a good momentum of develop-

ment. In the whole year, the country af-

forested 4. 35 million hectares of land. The

state made more investments in forestry.

The 10 major state shelterbelt projects began

to yield results. The forestry resources were

better managed and protected. The forest ar-

eas further increased, with forest coverage

expanding. The total area where mid-aged

and young trees were brought under intense

cultivation reached 4. 20 million hectares,

100 000 hectares more than in the preceding

year. The standing timber stock also in-

creased. The total area brought under effec-

tive irrigation increased by 1. 11 million

hectares. The total area under water-effi-

cient irrigation came to 1. 23 million

hectares, saving 10 billion cubic metres of

water.

(4) Township enterprises maintained a

proper speed of growth. In 1997, township

enterprises were confronted with more diffi-

culties than any other year. However, they

still maintained a proper speed of growth

thanks to the deepening of reform and the

improvement in the quality of their opera-

tions.

The incremental value created by town-

ship enterprises in the year came to 2 070 bil-

lion yuan, accounting for 60% of the total

incremental value created in the rural areas

or nearly 30% of the GDP. The total value

of goods delivered for export was 694. 6 bil-

lion yuan, breaking the 40% point in the na-

tional total. The taxes paid to the state ac-

counted for 26% of the state revenue. The

farmers derived 38% of their income from

township enterprises.

(5) Farmer income increased; the rural

market tended to be lull in a generally stable

trend; and prices were mixed. In 1997, the

per capita net income of rural residents was

2 090 yuan, 4. 6% more than in the preced-

ing year in real terms. Major sources of in-

creased income include sales of animal prod-

ucts, wage labour remuneration, stable

prices of capital goods and relatively low pro-

duction cost. The major factors contributing

to reduced income included decreased grain

output, price drops in grain, vegetables,

fruit, poultry and eggs and other bulk agri-

cultural goods. The total retail sales at and

below the county level in the year was

1 049. 9 billion yuan, rising by 9. 2% in real

terms. The rural retail prices rose by 0. 7%.

The prices of agricultural capital goods

dropped by 0. 5%. The purchasing prices of

agricultural produce dropped by 4. 5%.

(6) Progress was made in rural social

undertakings. A big step was taken to fight

poverty in the year, reducing the impover-

ished people who have not solved the prob-

lem of inadequate food and clothing by 8 mil-

lion. The three-tier rural health service net-

work was further improved, with the number

of counties that have attained the primary

health care standards topping 60%. The

number of rural township clinics reached

51 000, with 740 000 beds and 980 000

health and technical workers. About 89. 3%

of the rural villages had health service cen-

ters. The rural doctors and paramedics

reached 1. 32 million. Over 41. 5% of the ru-

ral townships built social security networks,

with the rural endowment insurance covering

70. 35 million. The rural housing completed

came to 760 million square metres.

2. New trend in rural development.

(1) Agricultural policies were geared to

mobilizing and protecting the initiatives of

farmers. Historical experience shows that

the initiatives of farmers are the decisive fac-

tor in China's agricultural development. In

1997, the central authorities adopted strong

measures to mobilize and protect the initia-

tives of farmers.

First of all, the government produced

the policies of open-end purchasing of the

surplus grain from farmers, which served to

make farmers rest assured and protect the

initiatives of grain growers. Secondly, the

household-based contract responsibility sys-

tem was further stabilized and improved,

wiping away the worries of farmers. When

some areas, where non-agricultural activities

were not quite developed and the sources of

employment were few, engaged in dividing

the land into "contracted land and food ration

land" and raised the land contracting fees,

the central government timely held the mal-

practice in check. Thirdly, the central gov-

ernment strengthened the management of the

burdens of farmers and reduced the level of

their burdens.

(2) Big agricultural provinces were de-

veloping towards economically strong prov-

inces and great efforts were made to process

agricultural produce in order to increase the

extended efficiency of agriculture. On the ba-

sis of good grain production, big agricultural

provinces made great efforts to develop ani-

mal husbandry and the processing trade,

aimed at building a high-efficiency agricultur-

al system based on grain production and re-

gional economic system with agriculture as

the foundation. Results were good. The ef-

forts helped increase farmers' income, boost

financial strength, ease difficulties in selling

agricultural produce and promote the rational

distribution of regional economy.

(3) Efforts were made to build farmland

improvement projects economically and effi-

ciently to create conditions for a stable agri-

cultural development. Analysis of years of

statistical data shows flood and drought

account for 70% of the natural disasters for

agriculture and of the flood and drought,

drought accounts for 70%. To cope with

natural disasters, all places carried out farm-

land water conservancy projects economically

and efficiently. People in all places paid

much attention to storing water by building

small reservoirs, water ponds and caves,

drill wells against drought and properly tap

underground water, develop water-efficient

irrigation and spread technologies for grow-

ing dryland crops and strengthen the work of

fighting natural disasters and reducing the

effect of natural disasters.

(4) Agricultural structure was adjusted

in response to market demand. In 1997,

farmers in many places took the initiative to

adjust the production structure and product

mix according to the run of the market. Hei-

longjiang Province adjusted the areas sown to

corn and spring wheat and increased the ar-

eas of soybean and rice that promised good

market potential.

Practice shows that the farmers are quite

sensitive to market changes and can make

their correct choices according to the signals

of the market.

But the growth speed of the farmers'

income was still slow.