china s fruit and vegetable situation foreign agricultural service horticultural & tropical products division september 2001 harvested area million hectares 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 284 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 source fao includes melons production metric tons mmt 250 200 150 100 50 0 393 food basket program started in shortages high prices established bases around major cities capitalize on regional soil climate differences provides subsidized infrastructure such as roads irrigation electricity inputs fertilizer seeds plastic for mulch greenhouses one time cash subsidy to convert land new technology protected under 1 000 of built varieties higher yielding more resistant pests wholesale markets were diversify the marketing farmers are allowed pay taxes rather than grain making planting decisions based market conditions selected vegetables 80 60 40 20 eggplant onions cucumbers tomatoes
