Consumer spending in China's rural areas and investment in the country's agricultural sector have seen a rebound in the first quarter of this year. 

Zeng Yande, chief agronomist of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) and director general of the Department of Development and Planning of the MARA, speaks at a press conference in Beijing on April 20, 2023. [Photo by Xu Xiang/China SCIO]

Zeng Yande, chief agronomist of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) and director general of the Department of Development and Planning of the MARA, made the remarks at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office on Thursday.

Data shows that in Q1 2023, the retail sales of consumer goods in China's rural areas reached 1.53 trillion yuan (US$222.3 billion), up by 6.2% year on year, 0.5 percentage points higher than that in urban areas; fixed asset investment in the primary industry (excluding rural households) was 242.5 billion yuan, up 0.5% year on year.

Zeng said that the MARA will develop distinctive local agricultural sectors, and promote investment in farmland improvement, cold-chain logistics, modern facility-empowered agriculture, and rural living environment improvement to boost investment and consumer spending in rural areas.

In the next five-to-10 years, agricultural and rural investment needs will reach 15 trillion yuan, Zeng added.