Analysis on the long-term Mechanism of farmland transfer

Agricultural land is a scarce factor of production in China. From the perspective of overall social benefits, economies of scale can be achieved through the transfer of agricultural land. On the one hand, the barren and waste of cultivated land can be reduced through land consolidation; on the other hand, economies of scale can be obtained through intensive management, giving full play to the role of scarce factors of production of agricultural land in China, ensuring food security and realizing agricultural modernization. But on the whole, the division of agricultural land in China is too fine in the process of contracting, which hinders the intensive management and socialized production of agriculture. Since the implementation of the agricultural land transfer policy, the short cycle of agricultural land transfer has seriously affected the science and technology and capital investment in agricultural production. Therefore, promoting the long-term transfer of agricultural land will be an important direction of agricultural land transfer in China.

The longer the transfer of agricultural land, the greater the amount of agricultural land transfer. The long-term circulation of agricultural land is the key to effectively solve the problem of "short board" and "short leg" of farmers' income in the modernization of Chinese agriculture. The long cycle of agricultural production and the long cycle of the rate of return on agricultural investment require a long-term and stable social environment and institutional guarantee, which requires long-term circulation of agricultural land. In order to promote China's urbanization, a large number of farmers need to work and live in cities and towns, and contracted land is required to be transferred for a long time. To adjust the economic and social structure and change the mode of economic growth, it also requires the long-term circulation of agricultural land.

I. the long-term circulation of agricultural land is the common experience of agricultural land governance in developed countries.

1. Long-term circulation of agricultural land is the basis of agricultural construction in developed countries.

In the early days, Britain used the "enclosure movement" to expand the scale of agricultural production and operation. In the process of westward advance, the United States adopted the method of allocating public land and selling public land at a low price to expand the scale of agricultural production and operation. More countries adopt the way of market competition, prompting small farmers to give up farming and enter urban employment and life. After World War II, developed countries continue to implement the policy of supporting and encouraging intensive management of agricultural land, and the scale of per capita farmland management continues to expand. France encourages elderly farmers to give up farming and sell or lease their land to young farmers by providing appropriate financial subsidies. At the end of 1977, 543000 farmers in France handed over an area of 9.5 million hectares of land after receiving a lifetime annuity for leaving farmers, accounting for about 1 million of the country's farmland. Encourage the development of mutual aid cooperatives in agriculture, such as the establishment of the General Committee of Agricultural Cooperation in France in 1959 to coordinate policies and promote the development of agricultural cooperatives. Credit is issued to support agricultural scale operation, and long-term low-interest, interest-free loans are implemented to support agricultural scale operation. For example, the agricultural loan interest rate in France at that time was generally 3%, which was about half lower than the general loan interest rate. The state gives direct subsidies to agricultural production, water conservancy, electric power and other projects built in agriculture, the means of production purchased by farmers, and the development of agricultural scientific research and education. Protect the prices of agricultural products and give them certain subsidies. Through the above measures, the degree of agricultural intensive management has been continuously improved. for example, the average amount of arable land borne by each agricultural labor force in the United States in the 1990s was 714.2 mu.

two。 Developed countries legally guarantee the long-term circulation of agricultural land

After de Gaulle took office, France stipulated that the minimum term of the lease of land should not be less than 9 years, which can be extended when the lease expires. When the lessor wants to sell the leased property, the lessee has the right of preemption. Japan's Agricultural Land Law amended in 1970 stipulates that lease contracts with a contract period of more than 10 years are not allowed to retain the right of termination during the contract period, which is set up to promote the signing of lease contracts for more than 10 years. Japan's Agricultural Land Law of 1976 also stipulates that the term of land lease is generally 10 years. Japan has set up a land management company to manage agricultural land. when the land management company leases land from farmers, it pays a lump sum rent to leased farmers for 10 years, while agricultural production units leasing land from land management companies only need to pay annual rent. the government provides financial subsidies to agricultural land management companies and tenants. According to the legal system of the circulation of agricultural land use rights in the UK, the lease tenure is 125 years, 40 years, 20 years and 10 years respectively. The former West Germany implemented social policies to support the long-term transfer of agricultural land, such as rewarding farmers for early retirement, giving up farming, handing over land, rewarding long-term leasing of land, and so on, in order to expand the business scale of farmers. Subsidies and interest reduction loans are also used to directly support farmers with development potential. Governments have adopted a series of policy measures to extend the period of agricultural land transfer.

3. Developed countries guide the long-term circulation of agricultural land in terms of economic policies

American mortgages to farms have long maturities and low interest rates, ranging from five years to 40 years, with interest rates of 3% to 7%. The Japanese government encourages the long-term transfer of agricultural land, and for lessors, the government gives different rent subsidies according to the length of the lease. If the rental time is 3 ~ 6 years, the lessor can get a subsidy of 100000 yen per hectare; if the rental time is more than 6 years, it will be increased to 200000 yen per hectare. The term title in the leased land in the UK stipulates that it terminates only when the landlord or tenant notifies the other party before the expiration of the period stipulated in the contract, and if the notice is not given within the time limit, the next round of lease begins again. In addition to paying taxes and rents, the land lessee will no longer bear any obligations. France not only gives life annuities to abandoned farmers, but also keeps land rent at a very low level to encourage farms to expand their scale by leasing land.

In short, due to the support and encouragement of governments to the long-term transfer of agricultural land, the period of agricultural land transfer has been gradually lengthened, creating a stable environment for agricultural production.

II. Current situation, problems and reasonable time limit of farmland transfer in China

1. The present situation and problems of farmland transfer in China

The transfer of agricultural land in China has begun since the implementation of the household contract responsibility system, but these agricultural land transfers are mainly small-scale, short-term scattered transfers. The reason for the transfer of land is mainly caused by the changes in household production, for example, some are old and frail, and have no children to continue agricultural production; some work and live in cities and towns, and it is not convenient to return to their hometown for farming; some are transferred with their children providing for the aged in different places; some are agricultural companies that transfer agricultural land in the village, and they also participate in production and management activities in these companies. Some are transferred in exchange for social security. These land transfers do not have economies of scale, but only small-scale land transfer activities among farmers. But in recent years, with the improvement of agricultural production technology, the agricultural labor force has been effectively released, coupled with the urbanization construction has attracted a large number of agricultural labor force to the city, under this social opportunity, it is possible to carry out large-scale and social agricultural land transfer. Therefore, the government also actively encourages farmers to voluntarily transfer contracted land in accordance with the law, and increase the area of transferred agricultural land and extend the time limit.

However, at present, the period of agricultural land transfer in China is not long, even shorter than that in developed countries. We use the method of mode calculation to sort out the data of Ding Guanliang's survey of 919 farmers in Zhejiang, Luo Dongqi's survey of 424 farmers in Chongqing, Qiu Daozhi's survey of 142 farmers in Chongqing and Wang Zhixiao's survey data of 89 farmers in Shandong province. it is found that the average period of farmers' transfer of contracted land is as follows: the circulation period is 1 to 5 years, 69.15%, 16.6%, 10 years and more, 14.25%. The median was 3.62 years. These research results are consistent with our survey and interview results, indicating that the current circulation period of rural contracted land in China is indeed short. The short circulation period affects the stability of agricultural production, affects the investment of agricultural production, and may also lead to disputes over the transfer of agricultural land, coupled with the high risk of agricultural production and operation, the small profit of agricultural investment and the long cycle of effective agricultural investment. it has delayed the realization of China's agricultural modernization.

two。 Main influencing factors

First of all, the pulling force to attract the long-term transfer of agricultural land is insufficient. For a long time, the prices of agricultural and sideline products are relatively weak, the return on investment in agriculture is low, and the attractiveness of agriculture is poor, while the mature agricultural leading enterprises are relatively few. At the same time, the level of agricultural science and technology is not high, and the training of agricultural professionals is insufficient, especially the agricultural professionals who can take root in rural areas for a long time. In addition, the procedures of agricultural land transfer are not standardized, there are many disputes in the process of agricultural land transfer; the industrial chain of agriculture is short, and the production and marketing channels of agricultural and sideline products are narrow.

Secondly, the thrust to promote farmers to actively flow out of farmland is not enough. Since 1949, China's agricultural land policy has undergone several changes, and after the reform and opening up, some areas have also carried out collective allocation of agricultural land in accordance with the law, which makes farmers' land concept is still relatively conservative, afraid of changes in agricultural land policy. Take a wait-and-see attitude towards the circulation of agricultural land. At the same time, the income of agricultural land transfer in some areas is small. In contrast, agricultural land not only does not pay taxes, but also receives government subsidies. And some farmers who go out for employment will return to their hometown for agricultural production in the future. In addition, because the urban hukou is difficult to implement, the treatment of farmers is very different from that of citizens and workers, and the replacement rate of social security is very low, so farmers do not dare to transfer contracted land easily or choose short-term temporary transfer.

Third, the government's efforts are inadequate. The government's subsidy for growing grain is relatively scattered and does not concentrate on large grain-producing households, which has the nature of social welfare; the agricultural infrastructure is not perfect, the existing infrastructure is relatively extensive, and does not go deep into the fields; the financing of agriculture is difficult, the term is short, and the interest is high, which does not adapt to the characteristics of agricultural production and operation; the service institutions of agriculture are not perfect, especially the intermediary institutions of land transfer are not perfect, and the procedures of agricultural land transfer are not standard. The relevant laws and regulations of agricultural land transfer lag behind, and some conflict with each other; the property rights of agricultural land are unclear, and some grass-roots organizations interfere with agricultural land transfer; agricultural insurance as a quasi-public product, the government support is not strong, the implementation is not comprehensive; to achieve urbanization of farmers' housing, social security, household registration policy is difficult to implement, these factors restrict the transfer of agricultural land.

3. The principle of determining the time limit of agricultural land transfer

In order to determine the reasonable time limit of agricultural land transfer, we need to proceed from the reasonable interests of the government, inflow households and outflow households, in order to maximize and reasonably achieve the balance of the interests of the three parties.

The government expects that the longer the transfer period of agricultural land, the better, because the long-term transfer of agricultural land is conducive to the realization of intensive management, socialized production, food security and agricultural modernization. Therefore, the government needs to improve and implement corresponding measures, such as further subsidizing large grain growers, improving the financial environment, improving the treatment of citizenized farmers, realizing agricultural insurance and so on.

The farmers who flow into the households are generally young and middle-aged. In order to achieve the full load of family labor, they have been engaged in agricultural production for a long time, and they hope that the farmland will flow in for a long time. Agricultural investors who flow into households, such as family farms, agricultural cooperatives, agricultural leading enterprises, etc., have to carry out agricultural land consolidation, infrastructure construction, agricultural machinery purchase, and development of sales channels after absorbing agricultural land, and the return cycle of these inputs is longer, so I hope that agricultural land will flow in for a long time.

There are three situations in the outflow of agricultural land: first, elderly farmers are unable to produce and operate, and agricultural land transfer fees will increase year by year, and agricultural land transfer fees can be exchanged for social security; second, the income of some young and strong farmers going out to work increases, and the existing farmland policy remains unchanged for a long time, which can extend the period of farmland transfer; third, farmers who settle in cities will transfer contracted land for a long time with the enjoyment of citizenization treatment. According to practical experience, with the development of agricultural productive forces and the improvement of agricultural production and management conditions, the period of agricultural land transfer will be longer and longer.

Third, construct the long-term mechanism of agricultural land transfer.

1. Activate the pull of agricultural land inflow to absorb and transfer agricultural land

In order to realize the transfer of agricultural land, the most essential pulling force is the promotion of the value of the transfer. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the rate of return of agricultural production from the aspects of technology and funds, so as to fundamentally improve the return of agricultural land transfer. It is necessary to determine basic farmland, arrange cultivated land, introduce water sources, dig drainage and irrigation channels, and strengthen the construction of agricultural infrastructure. Develop agricultural science and education, train a large number of agricultural professionals, especially encourage graduates of agricultural universities to engage in agricultural production and management activities, train large grain growers and family farmers free of charge, and popularize agricultural science and technology. such as the use of agricultural machinery and tools, plastic film mulching, pest control and so on. Support the development of large grain growers, family farms, agricultural cooperatives and agricultural companies, and promote the organic integration of technology, capital and agricultural land.

In addition, it is necessary to ensure the long-term effectiveness, rationality and standardization of agricultural land transfer from the system. Realize the standardized operation of agricultural land transfer, reduce unnecessary disputes over agricultural land transfer, and enable farmers, cooperatives and enterprises that absorb agricultural land to concentrate on agricultural production and management activities. Strengthen support for modern agriculture, implement price subsidies for agricultural machinery and tools, and implement direct subsidies to large grain growers or enterprises. Long-term low-interest loans will be granted to large grain growers, family farms, agricultural cooperatives and agricultural enterprises that have absorbed agricultural land for more than five years. Implement the policy of price protection of agricultural and sideline products to prevent cheap grain from harming farmers. When the prices of agricultural and sideline products are low, the government should protect the interests of farmers, cooperatives and enterprises that flow into agricultural land for a long time to engage in modern agricultural production, enhance the pull of long-term circulation of agricultural land, and realize the long-term circulation of agricultural land.

two。 Strengthen the thrust of the transfer of agricultural land out of the square

Publicize and encourage the transfer of agricultural land, guide and guide the transfer of agricultural land, and give certain incentives to farmers who transfer agricultural land where conditions permit. Improve the environment of farmers' non-farm employment, increase the opportunities of farmers' non-farm employment, and let farmers who change jobs enjoy the comparative benefits of industry. We will reform the household registration system, realize the integration of urban and rural social security, speed up the process of urbanization, and let farmers in cities enjoy the same treatment as citizens. The implementation of the transfer of agricultural land benefit dynamic sharing system, that is, the outflow of contracted land to achieve large-scale operation of the benefits formed, allowing farmers to share certain results. For rural five-guarantee households and elderly farmers who are willing to give up the right to operate agricultural land, we should exchange contracted land for social security, explore ways to buy out their contracted land management rights, and create conditions for farmers' long-term outflow of agricultural land.

3. The government pays attention to the circulation of agricultural land.

The government should support the long-term batch transfer of agricultural land to meet the requirements of intensive agricultural management and socialized production. Formulate detailed laws and regulations to regulate the transfer of agricultural land, because the degree of intensive management of agricultural land in China is too low, agricultural land transfer will be a process that needs long-term legal adjustment. Corresponding organizations should be set up to guide and manage the transfer of agricultural land and to deal with disputes caused by the transfer of agricultural land. It is necessary to comprehensively use publicity, administrative, economic, legal and market competition and other means to promote the circulation of agricultural land. Lay the foundation for the transfer of agricultural land, such as building agricultural infrastructure, doing a good job in agricultural land consolidation and water conservancy work, and strengthening the education and training of agricultural employees and scientific farming. We will speed up the process of urbanization, realize that the rural population transferred to cities enjoy the same treatment as citizens, and create conditions for the transfer of agricultural land. We will provide comprehensive long-term low-interest loans and higher financial subsidies to large grain growers, family farms, agricultural cooperatives and enterprises who have transferred agricultural land for more than five years, and gradually increase the number of years for the transfer of agricultural land with preferential treatment.

According to the needs of agricultural intensive management and socialized production, the increase of the amount of transferred agricultural land and the extension of the time limit should be promoted according to the order of eastern, central and western China.