By Ye Xingqing, Cheng Yu, Zhou Qunli & Yin Haodong, Research Department of Rural Economy, DRC

Research Report, No. 73, 2020 (Total 5817) 2020-4-3

Abstract: Some farmers suffered from direct economic losses after the outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic. Due to the fact that rural and urban residents were advised to stay at home, consumption reduction brought down agricultural product prices and farm family resorts in rural areas were closed. In addition, many migrant farmer workers had no income because of delayed production resumption and some even lost employment opportunities as a result of production reduction and shutdown. Generally speaking, it is predicted that the epidemic will lead to a notable decline in rural residents’ income growth in 2020. Consequently, apart from the supporting measures taken by the government, more targeted countermeasures need to be taken during the epidemic, which are not only conducive to increasing farmers’ income, but are also beneficial for solidifying the foundation of rural area revitalization. This paper gives some policy options as follows. 1. The government needs to issue more special bonds for rural area revitalization and channel more fixed assets investment into rural areas; 2. The government needs to bring into play the role of policy-oriented finance and encourage leading enterprises to help the small-sized rural households to overcome the present difficulties; 3. The government needs to enhance re-employment training of migrant rural workers and the coverage of one-time business start-up subsidiary and relevant guaranteed loan support need to be extended to migrant rural workers returning to their hometowns; and 4. The government needs to adopt relevant measures to stimulate consumptions of agricultural products and agritourism.

Key words: novel coronavirus pneumonia, agriculture, migrant rural worker, farmers’ income