February 6, 2006

Major provinces in China sees improved grain and meat output

China's Heilongjiang, Hebei and Sichuan provinces recorded improved grain and meat output in 2005, thanks to various government initiatives in the farming sector, the Xinhua news agency reported Friday.

Grain output in Hebei province, one of the major grain producing regions of China,  reached 26 million tonnes last year, an increase of 4.8 percent from 2004, government statistics show.  Local meat output was 5.8 million tonnes, up seven percent over the previous year.

Output in China's north-eastern Heilongjiang province, another major grain producing region, output reached a record 36 million tonnes last year, while output value of the animal husbandry sector increased 16.9 percent on-year to hit RMB46 billion (US$5.75 billion), according to local government statistics. The province's meat output was up 17.6 percent on-year, and milk output was 17.6 percent higher than the previous year.

Meanwhile, Sichuan province in south-west China harvested 34 million tonnes of grain in 2005. The provincial government spent RMB124.6 billion (US$15.6 billion) over the last four years to foster agricultural and rural development, almost 50 percent more than the 1996-2000 period, according to a report on Sichuan's economic development issued by the provincial statistical bureau. Due to the exemption of agricultural taxes and strong production, the net income of Sichuan farmers increased by 8.6 percent to RMB2803 (US$350) in 2005.