Vice Premier Hui Liangyu has urged local governments to make
sure farmers get subsidies and other aid so that spring ploughing
can be successfully carried out.
Don't let farmers lose their enthusiasm, Hui told
local governments during his recent tour of Shaanxi Province, emphasizing that spring
ploughing determines the grain output for the whole
year.
Grain farmers need to get their seed and farm
machinery subsidies as soon as possible and in full, Hui
said.
Fertilizers, seeds and machinery for farmers must be
supplied at a fair price and be of good quality.
The minimum procurement price for grain this year will
be no lower than the 2006 price, Hui said, adding that a minimum
price for wheat would be launched in a timely manner.
Hui pledged to keep the grain price steady during the
year with improved monitoring and macro control of the market in
order to safeguard the interests of farmers.
The central government has so far provided 8.3 billion
yuan (US$1.1 billion) of subsidies to farmers engaged in spring
ploughing in 2007.
China's grain output for its
1.3 billion population grew for the third consecutive year last
year to reach 497 million tons last year, up 2.8 percent or 13
million tons on 2005.
(Xinhua News Agency May 2, 2007)
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