Farmers in east China's Shandong province have gained
double-digit income growth in 2007, with per capita income reaching
4,985 yuan (about 665 U.S. dollars), an increase of 14 percent over
the previous year.
The provincial agriculture department said it was the fourth
year for farmers in the province to have double-digit income growth
rate.
The Shandong provincial government has provided preferential
policies for farmers to increase production. The provincial fiscal
bureaus have spent 9.22 billion yuan on subsidizing farmers in
2007, 30.6 percent higher over 2006. The farmers of the province
got 31.6 billion yuan of loans last year, the most in the
country
With more rural laborers transferring to the urban areas, wage
income has played a vital role in farmers' income growth since
2006.
(Xinhua News Agency February 11, 2008)
