Images of China - Rural areas
Rural China north of Shanghai
Change is also taking place in the rural areas. Here, in a village to the north of Shanghai, old thatched houses lie side by side with new concrete houses, seen in the distance. In the past how much land a farmer and what crops he or she could grow were all strictly regulated. Today farmers have much more freedom of choice and many, in the peri-urban and rural areas are experiencing considerable economic progress. Many are able to bring fresh vegetables into the city every day from their villages. Some do so on special early morning trains, other even fly in products such as fish.
Farmers can earn 500-1000 Yuan (about £40-80) per month from the sale of such produce, effectively doubling their incomes. For the farmers in the foreground the opportunities are slightly different. Here it is a case of a national overproduction of the staple crop, rice, seen growing here. With grain stores full and prices low, farmers are looking for alternative means to supplement their incomes and such labour migration is seen as crucial to farmer progress.
These farmers travel into Shanghai looking for work and many take on jobs such as road sweeping that the city dwellers refuse to do. Rice farmers are also worried that, when China becomes a full member of the World Trade Organisation, it will be impossible to restrict the free import of rice and prices will fall even further.
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