Agriculture represented 70% of the employment at the beginning of Deng Xiaoping's reforms in 1978. In twenty years, the rate dropped to reach 50%. The return to family concern, conveyance, liberalization of productions and prices favored productivity earnings of a 4% a year. Today, the agricultural workforce is still in surplus and estimated at about 100 million individuals. |
the areas under cultivation include arable lands and those with permanent crops. They represent 135,565,000 hectares in China. |
Crop |
Yield (in Metric Tons) |
Surface (in hectares) |
Yield Hg/ Ha* |
Rice Paddy
|
190,111,157
|
30,503,100
|
62,325
|
Corn
|
105,273,612
|
22,542,600
|
46,7
|
Sweet potatoes
|
121,023,100
|
6,210,003
|
194,884
|
Wheat
|
99,370,088
|
26,648,018
|
37,29
|
Potatoes
|
62,039,163
|
3,801,970
|
163,176
|
* hectograms/hectares |
Species |
Headcount |
Pigs
|
437,551,210
|
Goats
|
148,400,503
|
Ovine races
|
131,095,415
|
Cattle
|
104,582,029
|
Poultry
|
3,203,244,000
|
704,07 |
49,880,000 hectares. |
Shellfish, mollusks and cephalopods |
Saltwater fish |
11,923,202 Tm.
|
10,774,593 Tm.
|
33,166,640 Tm. |