July 29, 2005

Wheat farmers' subsidies surge in China's Shandong province
 

Subsidies for wheat farmers in China's Shandong province would total RMB250 million (US$30.2 million) in 2005, about 10 times the previous year's figure, the country's government said.

Wheat fields that qualified for the subsidy rose to 2 million hectares this year.

Shandong is China's major wheat production base, with high-quality wheat fields totalling about 166,667 hectares in area, one quarter of the country's total.

The government also recommended 16 wheat species for local wheat growers and taught them the latest technologies concerning most processes in wheat growing.

The move to raise subsidies was meant to boost farmers' enthusiasm on wheat growing. It could also lessen the financial burden for poor farmers who were under pressure from rising prices of input materials, industry reports said.