Farmers get leeway on use of land

Farmers can transfer their land-use rights under a new policy to boost agricultural production and rural incomes, according to a landmark policy.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) yesterday unveiled its broad policy document - approved by a plenary session of the CPC Central Committee on Oct 12 - to revitalize the countryside.

Rural residents, who number more than 730 million according to the 2006 census, have ownership of the produce of their land but not the land itself, and are barred from trading land-use rights under current laws.