BEIJING: China tided over difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and kicked its agricultural and rural development into high gear in 2020, rounding off the goals set by the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020), said Tang Renjian, minister of agriculture and rural affairs, on Monday.
Tang was speaking at a State Council Information Office press conference on the advancement of rural vitalization and acceleration of agricultural and rural modernization.
Rural developments during the 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020): National grain output has remained above 650 million tonnes for six consecutive years, the contribution rate of science and technology agriculture edged up to over 60 percent and refined varieties were adopted in the production of nearly all the crops, said Tang, citing data from the “No. 1 central document” for 2021 released by the central government on Sunday.
The comprehensive mechanization rate of ploughing, sowing and harvesting reached 71 percent and the application of fertilizers and agrochemicals moved into negative growth territory for four consecutive years. A decisive victory was pocketed in the fight against poverty, Tang noted. Under the current standards, all the impoverished people in rural areas were lifted out of poverty and 832 registered poverty-stricken counties shook off poverty, eliminating absolute poverty and region-wide poverty. The income of rural residents continued to experience rapid growth, meanwhile.
–The Daily Mail-CGTN News exchange item
