China's grain sown area will stay stable this year, the National
Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced on Sunday.
According to a recent survey, the per-household grain sown area
of the 16,870 farmer households surveyed averaged 9.52 mu (0.63
hectares), which is on a par with that of last year.
The NDRC attributed the stabilization to farmers' willingness to
grow grain due to higher grain prices and the government's support
policies, such as the abolishment of the decade-old agriculture
taxes and subsidies for grain growing.
The survey showed more cotton, vegetables and sugar crops will
be planted this year while the sown areas of tobacco and oil crops
are likely to dip.
China's grain output exceeded 490 billion kilograms last year,
posting a positive growth for the third consecutive year.
(Xinhua News Agency February 26, 2007)