National Development and Reform Commission: cotton farmers' subsidies will be extended to the main producing areas of the Yangtze and Yellow River basins.

On the 22nd, the National Development and Reform Commission held a press conference on the pilot project of cotton target price reform and market regulation. Zhou Wangjun, deputy director of the Price Department of the National Development and Reform Commission, said that on the issue of protecting the interests of cotton farmers, in addition to subsidies to cotton farmers in Xinjiang pilot areas, the state will also give appropriate subsidies to the main producing areas of the Yangtze River and Yellow River basins. At present, this principle has been laid down by the State Council.

Zhou Wangjun said that in how to protect the interests of cotton farmers, there are several aspects of thinking, the first is to ensure the basic income of cotton farmers. "our target price principle is planting cost plus basic income, and there must be basic income after planting cotton. Cotton production is now in oversupply all over the world, and prices in the international market have fallen sharply. Under such circumstances, the state should protect the interests of domestic cotton farmers, which is the first priority. "

In addition, he said that in addition to the pilot areas in Xinjiang, there are also major producing areas of the Yangtze River and Yellow River basins, and the state will also give appropriate subsidies. "now this principle has been decided by the State Council, how to make it up, and how much it will be issued by the Ministry of Finance." Zhou Wangjun added that while implementing the target price of cotton, the previous policies on agricultural subsidies to farmers, including subsidies for improved cotton varieties, remain unchanged.