In the first quarter, the real per capita disposable income of rural residents increased by 5.4% year-on-year, a growth rate 2.2 percentage points faster than that of urban residents. More than 70% of this rural income growth was contributed by wage income and net operating income. An official from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs stated that since the beginning of the year, stable and rising grain purchase prices, along with generally stable employment conditions for migrant and local rural workers, have supported steady growth in farmers' incomes.
The ministry outlined four key measures to sustain and boost rural incomes: developing industries to increase earnings, stabilizing employment opportunities, deepening reforms, and effectively implementing supportive policies. Industrial revitalization is considered fundamental to enhancing the internal development momentum of agriculture and rural areas, as well as crucial for comprehensive rural revitalization. In the first quarter, the value-added of large-scale agricultural and food processing industries grew by 6.8% year-on-year. In March, the Purchasing Managers' Index for national key leading agricultural industrialization enterprises stood at 58.1%, remaining in expansionary territory above 50%, with month-on-month and year-on-month increases of 6.8 and 3.8 percentage points, respectively, indicating sustained improvement in industry sentiment.
The ministry emphasized an integrated approach focusing on production capacity, ecological sustainability, and income growth, promoting technology-driven, green, high-quality, and branded agriculture to ensure farm products are marketable and fetch premium prices. Efforts will be made to leverage local specialty resources, accelerate the development of distinctive rural industries, and strengthen agricultural product processing, enterprise cultivation, and brand building. Support will also be extended to rural entrepreneurship, rural tourism, cultural experiences, and e-commerce, transforming rural development momentum into tangible income gains for farmers. Regular activities such as farm product promotion and consumption assistance will be organized to facilitate smooth sales.
Regarding employment stabilization, the ministry will collaborate with relevant departments to promote targeted skills training models, enhance employability, and develop distinctive labor service brands to support migrant rural workers. The role of public welfare positions, employment assistance workshops, and labor-based relief programs will be fully utilized to increase local job opportunities. Additionally, regions are encouraged to steadily develop new types of rural collective economies and flexibly utilize collective assets through independent operation, leasing, or equity participation. Exploring effective ways to revitalize idle rural housing through rental, equity, or cooperative models, along with deepening rural collective property rights reforms and standardizing rural property rights markets, will help farmers gain more property income.
In March, the ministry published a list of 16 central government subsidies benefiting farmers directly, including subsidies for farmland fertility protection, agricultural machinery purchase and application, and wheat disease prevention. These policies will be strictly implemented to convert policy benefits into real income increases for farmers.
As the spring farming season progresses, agricultural activities are advancing smoothly nationwide. With the "Grain Rain" solar term passing, wheat and rapeseed have entered a critical yield formation period. Spring planting is in full swing, with over 20% of grain crops already sown, slightly ahead of the previous year's pace. Early rice planting exceeds 80%, while spring corn and soybean sowing are underway. Approximately 40 days remain before the summer harvest, during which crops must overcome challenges such as pests, lodging, dry hot winds, and excessive rain. The ministry is committed to disaster prevention and yield protection, managing spring field operations and planting simultaneously to lay a solid foundation for annual grain production.
Building on experience from the past three years, a large-scale yield improvement initiative for grain and oil crops will continue this year. The number of counties implementing the program will increase from 702 to 1,000, with 20 cities participating comprehensively. The initiative aims to integrate high-standard farmland, improved seeds, advanced machinery, and scientific practices to achieve balanced and widespread yield increases.