The State Council Information Office recently held a press conference to discuss the operation of agriculture and rural economy in 2023. Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Deng Xiaogang, shared the successes and achievements of the past year, highlighting key areas of progress and growth in the agricultural sector.
In the face of challenging domestic and international economic situations and frequent natural disasters, Deng Xiaogang emphasized the thorough implementation of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important exposition on “agriculture, rural areas and farmers”. This implementation, along with the spirit of important instructions and instructions, has led to significant progress in agricultural and rural development in 2023.
One of the notable achievements discussed was the bumper harvest in grain production, which led to an increase in grain output to 1,390.82 billion jins, setting a new record high for the ninth consecutive year. Additionally, the expansion of soybean oil crops and stable pig production capacity contributed to a steady supply of important agricultural products.
The successes in poverty alleviation were also highlighted, with the total number of labor force lifted out of poverty throughout the year reaching 33.969 million, exceeding the annual task target.
Technological and equipment support has been steadily enhanced, leading to the construction of 86.11 million acres of high-standard farmland and the completion of the largest nationwide census of agricultural germplasm resources in New China.
Furthermore, the pace of green agricultural development has accelerated, with the management order of the closed waters remaining stable and the overall pass rate of national agricultural product quality and safety monitoring reaching 97.8%.
The development momentum of rural industries has been positive, with the agricultural product processing industry and rural e-commerce experiencing steady growth. This, in turn, has led to an increase in farmers’ income.
Looking ahead, Deng Xiaogang stated that the agricultural and rural departments would strive to continue making progress and improvements in the coming year. They are set to fully implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China and the Second Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China.
By anchoring the goal of building an agricultural power and focusing on agricultural production and rural revitalization, the department aims to make new progress and improvements in the year ahead. The agricultural and rural departments will work diligently to ensure the continued development and prosperity of “agriculture, rural areas, and farmers.”