Why are there fewer and fewer farmers working the land?

With the steady development of the rural economy, more and more elderly farmers have their livelihoods secured, and most rural households have reached a moderately prosperous level. However, the vast majority of farmers' income comes from working off the farm, not from farming. Moreover, over the past two years, the share of income obtained from farming has been gradually declining, and many farmers have no choice but to transfer their land and work away from home year-round.

As the saying goes, land is the root of farmers, but look at things now: farmers no longer rely on farming to make a living. Isn't that a strange thing? In fact, in my view, it is not only strange but also a hidden risk. Just think: most of today's post-80s and post-90s generations do not know how to farm. Decades from now, what will we do if no one in the countryside farms the land? What will we rely on for food? Where will the grain come from?

Back to the main point: in this article today, let's set aside the question of what happens decades from now and talk about the present: why are there fewer and fewer farmers working the land?

1. Low income

In the past two years, grain prices have fallen again and again. After a season of hard work, farmers cannot even earn a few thousand yuan, and after deducting the costs of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, labor, and time needed for farming, there is basically only a few hundred yuan left per mu. In some cases, when the harvest is poor, farmers even lose money by farming. This has led to a continuous decline in farmers' enthusiasm for growing grain. Low income has become the primary reason farmers are unwilling to farm.

2. High costs

Now, unlike ten years ago, the prices of food and daily necessities are rising, including agricultural materials. Today's chemical fertilizers, pesticides, agricultural film, seeds, and farm machinery are all much more expensive than before.

For example, for my family's wheat, one mu of land requires 200 yuan worth of chemical fertilizer, while this year the wheat my family planted brought an average income of 800 yuan per mu. After deducting the costs of pesticides, plowing, seeds, fuel, and labor, there is basically nothing left.

3. Farming is exhausting

Since ancient times, farming has been the occupation of farmers. In the past, without mechanized operations, both planting and harvesting relied entirely on manual labor. During the crops' growth, they needed careful tending, and farmers had to go into the fields from time to time to check how the crops were growing. After decades of farming, they still ended up with a body full of ailments, yet they were reluctant to spend money to see a doctor. This is a true portrayal of us older farmers.

However, the elderly in the village now basically cannot do heavy physical work, while the young and strong dislike farm work as too tiring and go out to work in search of better jobs. This leads to many crops that look like they are growing well ending up with poor harvests, and a large share of arable land is gradually being abandoned.

In summary, low income, high costs, and exhausting labor are several reasons farmers are unwilling to continue farming. I sincerely hope the country can find some way to greatly boost farmers' enthusiasm for farming today; otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable.