Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has renewed his pledges to boost
agricultural development and improve the welfare of the nation's
farmers.
On a visit to eastern Jiangxi Province from Friday to Sunday, Wen
said the government would continue to raise subsidies for farmers
and bring them tangible benefits.
He said the government would continue to buy grain at prices no
lower than last year and was considering offering more subsidies
for production materials to ensure no decline in farmers'
incomes.
The government cancelled the rural tax nationwide in 2006 and
offered farmers direct subsidies to boost their incomes, but rising
prices of fertilizers and other production materials has eroded
some of the benefits.
Wen also pledged more government spending on agricultural
infrastructure and agricultural insurance that the government was
piloting in a number of provinces.
In response to demands for more rural bank loans, he said the
commercial banks and rural credit cooperatives were expanding their
loan capacity in rural areas.
He also called local officials to make more efforts to improve
farmers' incomes by establishing production bases and help the
farmers sell at good prices.
He said the government would boost spending on the rural
cooperative medicare system to ensure affordable medical services
for farmers.
(Xinhua News Agency April 23, 2007)
