Office of the Leading Group of the State Council for the Second National Agricultural Census
National Bureau of Statistics

February 22, 2008

Agricultural Basic and Production Conditions

The Second National Agricultural Census conducted survey on the basic and production conditions of all agricultural production households and agricultural holdings. The results are published as follows:

I. Agricultural production households and agricultural holdings

At the end of 2006, the number of agricultural production households in China was 200,160 thousand, increased 3.7 percent over the First National Agricultural Census in 1996. Of the total, that of mainly to the agricultural income households accounted for 58.4 percent, decreased 7.2 percentage points over 10 years before. The number of agricultural holdings was 395 thousand.

Table 1 Number and constitution of agricultural production households and agricultural holdings

 II. Agricultural laborers

At the end of 2006, the number of agricultural laborers in China was 348,740 thousand persons, of which, male and female respectively occupied 46.8 and 53.2 percent. In terms of ages, that of under 20 years old took up 5.3 percent, that of age between 21-30 years old, 31-40 years old, and 41-50 years old respectively occupied 14.9, 24.2, and 23.1 percent, and that of above 51 years old was 32.5 percent. In terms of education levels, that of illiteracy was 9.5 percent, that of primary school, junior and high secondary school degree respectively seized 41.1, 45.1 and 4.1 percent, and that of college degree or above was 0.2 percent.   

Table 2 Number and constitutions of agricultural laborers

III. Agricultural technicians

At the end of 2006, the number of agricultural technicians amounted to 2,070 thousand, of which, that of employed in agricultural holdings reached 940 thousand. In terms of title of the technical post, the senior, secondary and junior agricultural technicians hit respectively 120, 460 and 1,490 thousand persons.

Table 3 Number of agricultural technicians

IV. Agricultural machinery and its utilization

Agricultural machinery equipment level in China had achieved prominent improvement over the First Agricultural Census. At the end of 2006, the number of large-medium sized tractors arrived at 1,400 thousand sets, surging 107.5 percent over that at the end of 1996; that of small sized tractors hit 25,500 thousand sets, jumping 116.4 percent; that of large-medium and small sized towing farm machinery respectively amounted to 1,470 and 25,090 thousand sets, with the rise of 110.9 and 201.7 percent; and that of combine harvesters was 550 thousand sets, climbing 391.4 percent.

Table 4 Number of major agricultural machineries

In 2006, the mechanical cultivation areas of cultivated land accounting for 59.9 percent, a rise of 17.8 percentage points over 1996; that of electrical and mechanical irrigation areas occupying 26.6 percent, remained the general level as 1996; that of spray irrigation areas, and drip and seep irrigation areas occupying 1.8, and 0.8 percent respectively. Mechanical sowing areas of sown areas accounting for 32.6 percent, rose 16.4 percentage points than 1996; that of mechanical harvesting areas accounting for 24.9 percent, 12.9 percentage points higher than 1996.

Table 5 Utilization of agricultural machineries

V. Establishments of agriculture

At the end of 2006, the areas of greenhouses, large and small-medium sized vegetable sheds respectively achieved 81, 465 and 231 kilo hectares. In 2006, the area of vegetables, edible fungus, fruits and horticulture plantings respectively was 723, 46, 137 and 47 kilo hectares.

Table 6 Establishments of agriculture

Notes:

1. Agricultural production households and agricultural holdings: refer to households and units that managing in farming, forestry, animal husbandry, fishery and services of farming, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery in farming lands or separate facilities, as well as reaching one of the following standards:      

① Area of cultivated land, garden plot or water area for breeding aquatics under management is above 0.1 mu at the end of the year.

② Forestry area or area of grassland under management is above 1 mu at the end of the year.

③ Number of breeding cattle, horses, pigs, sheep and goats, and other large-medium livestocks is or more than one head at the end of the year.

④ Number of breeding rabbits and other beasties, as well as poultry is or more than 20 heads at the end of the year.

⑤ The income of agricultural product for sale, self-produced and self-used in 2006 is more than 500 yuan.

⑥ Providing operating income of services on forestry, animal husbandry and fishery above 500 yuan for the other households and units, or the forestry, animal husbandry and fishery unit in administrative and business services sector, services expenditure spending more than 500 yuan.

In Census Communiqué, basic production status and conditions of agricultural cover all agricultural production households and agricultural holdings in China, either in rural or urban area.

2. Agricultural laborer: refers to the employed persons that major engaged in agriculture in 2006, including all the agricultural employed persons in rural households, urban agricultural production households and agricultural holdings in China.

3. Agricultural technician: refers to the personnel engaged in agriculture industry, has received technical training in various agricultural professionals, or have an agricultural or specialized technical skills with professional titles, meanwhile, they must be a higher level issued by the department in charge of professional and technical qualified certification, which divided into junior, secondary and senior  levels. The level of professional and technical personnel was ranked by the registered professional technical qualifications.

4. Agricultural machinery: refer to large, medium and small sized tractors and their towing farm machineries, combine harvester and other agricultural machineries. The specific explanation is as follows:

Large and medium-sized tractor refers to the engine rated power in the 14.7 kilowatts (including 14.7 kilowatts or 20 hp), including track-link and wheeled tractors models.Small tractors refer to the engine rated at 2.2 kilowatt power (including 2.2 kilowatts), less than 14.7 kilowatts, including small four- wheels and working models.

Small sized tractor refers to the engine rated at 2.2 kilowatt power (including 2.2 kilowatts), less than 14.7 kilowatts, including small four- wheels and working models.

Large and medium-sized tractors towing farm machinery refers to towing and hanging mobile equipment operations which compound of large- medium sized tractors in farming land, such as tractor towing plow, tractor towing harrow, tractor towing sower, rotary plow and other agricultural implements. The tractor towing and hanging agricultural implements transformed by old type and semi-mechanized agricultural implements do not included.

Small sized tractor towing farm machinery refers to towing and hanging mobile equipment operations which compound of small sized tractors in farming land. The tractor towing and hanging agricultural implements transformed by old type and semi-mechanized agricultural implements do not included.

Combine harvester refers to harvesters that can complete several works (such as harvesting and threshing) in the course of harvestry, such as grain combine harvester, cotton combine harvester (cotton picker), including towing and self-propelled models.

5. Four regions: eastern region includes Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Shandong, Guangdong, Hainan. Central region covers Shanxi, Anhui, Jiangxi, Henan, Hubei, Hunan. Western region includes Inner Mongolia, Guangxi, Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Tibet, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Xinjiang. Northeastern region covers Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang.