More Chinese farmers are leaving their land to get rich and buying
computers and mobile phones, according to recent surveys.
A
recent official survey by Xinhua said a lot of farmers, mostly from
coastal areas, have left the land to become entrepreneurs or
employees of local private businesses.
The average annual income of a former farmer was 6,583 yuan
(US$780) last year, twice as much as the average earnings of the
total rural population.
Most of these rural entrepreneurs earn more than 50,000 yuan
(US$6,000) annually, according to the survey.
More than half of the rich farmers surveyed owe their success to
continuous hard work. Around a third believe they have grasped good
opportunities during the past decade.
The survey also said these farmers were deeply concerned about
rural education.
Almost all rich rural families hope their children, whether girls
or boys, can go to college. This has become the most important
dream of more than half of the surveyed parents.
The survey suggested that governments at different levels and
businesses explore further the potential of the education market in
the countryside.
Meanwhile, a separate Horizon Research survey carried out at the
end of last year said personal computers and mobile phones were
among the top four consumer priorities, along with housing and
cars.
The Horizon survey, which covered countryside areas of 11 provinces
around China, said farmers were also eager to acquire the latest
information and follow the latest urban fashions.
Around 16 per cent of rural families in 11 provinces have mobile
phones and another 17 per cent plan to buy one within the next two
years, said the survey.
Computers and the Internet are also becoming popular in farming
areas.
More than half the rural population surveyed said they had heard of
the Internet. More than 10 per cent wanted to buy a computer,
according to the survey.
(China
Daily April 8, 2002)