Farmers' rights boost efficiency

A new guideline on farmers' rights will further open the door to large-scale farming, boosting productivity and efficiency nationwide, the agriculture minister said on Thursday.

According to a policy released on Sunday, rural residents now enjoy greater freedom in transferring their land-use rights, either to individuals or commercial enterprises, and receive legal protection.

Agriculture Minister Han Changfu said at a news conference in Beijing on Thursday that the move aims to "optimize allocation of land resources" and allow for the creation of more large-scale operations, which are vital to modernizing the agricultural sector.