Ministry of Agriculture Formulates Access Policy for Industrial and Commercial Investment in Agriculture
At present, the agricultural authorities are formulating an access system for industrial and commercial enterprises investing in rural areas and agriculture. Meanwhile, the draft amendment to the Land Administration Law, which involves compensation for farmers whose land is expropriated, is expected to require further deliberation.
The day before yesterday, at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office, Chen Xiwen, deputy head of the Central Rural Work Leading Group and director of its office, said that the agricultural authorities are formulating an access system for industrial and commercial enterprises investing in rural areas and agriculture, and that the draft amendment to the Land Administration Law, which involves compensation for farmers whose land is expropriated, is expected to undergo a second and a third reading.
Chen Xiwen said that at the end of November last year, an executive meeting of the State Council specifically studied a proposal to submit to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress a recommendation to amend the Land Administration Law, which is more concerned with compensation for farmers whose land is expropriated. “Such a very major issue generally has to pass three readings after being submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. It was submitted last November for the first reading, and as far as I understand, it has only been discussed at the level of group discussion. Whether the bill can ultimately pass will of course require careful study by the People's Congress.”
In addition, Chen Xiwen admitted frankly that some enterprises rent farmers' land in rural areas with ulterior motives: they rent the land but do not seriously engage in agriculture, instead waiting for the day when the nature of the land can be changed for non-agricultural purposes. According to him, at present the Ministry of Agriculture is stepping up the formulation of access thresholds and regulatory measures in this regard.