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China Daily | Updated: 2009-02-25 07:48

Feb 25, 1984

Henan farmers set to fly high

A group of farmers at Liuzhuang in Xinxiang county, Henan province have become the first Chinese farmers ever to own their own plane. They purchased the aircraft with 20,000 yuan (about $10,000) from the Beijing Aeronautical Engineering Institute.

The villagers said they would use the Bee-3 light plane to spray pesticide and fertilizer on their grain and cotton fields, and for aerial seeding. The institute would help train local youths to fly.

Liuzhuang, which has a population of more than 1,000, earned more than 4 million yuan in 1983 from its agriculture and side-line production. Each of its residents earned nearly 1,000 yuan in 1983, boosting its accumulation fund to 6.6 million yuan.

Rural insurance growing quickly

The People's Insurance Company of China will drastically reduce the premium rate for tractors in 1984 and launch some new services to encourage more farmers to take out insurance.

From March 1 the premium rate for tractors operating in rural China will drop 40 percent from the original 140 yuan. This method was first tried out in Guangdong, Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces in 1983.

China now has more than 3 million tractors in use in rural areas. According to the company's statistics, 280,000 trucks and tractors were insured in 1983 in rural areas.

Purchases of durable goods rise in Beijing

According to Beijing's Municipal Statistical Bureau, the city's residents have increased their spending on durable consumer goods in recent years.

In 1983, each family spent an average of 132 yuan on wrist watches, fridges and other household appliances and furniture, showing a 7.6 percent increase over 1982, and 64 yuan on TV sets, radio recorders, books, newspapers, magazines and other items for recreational and educational purposes, up 33.5 percent.

Among Beijing's 1.25 million urban families, 90 percent have TV sets and 80 percent have sofas. Every 100 families in Beijing have 15.8 bicycles, 283.9 watches and 70.7 sewing machines.