Alibaba takes e-commerce into the fields

BEIJING - Alibaba, China's biggest online trader, reached agreement on Wednesday with the top economic planner to expand e-commerce in rural areas.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) will work with Alibaba in more than 300 rural areas to develop e-commerce, which is expected to optimize the agriculture industrial chain and encourage people to start their own businesses in rural areas.

E-commerce is developing fast in rural China as farmers begin selling produce online. Alibaba, JD and others have set up service stations in villages to help those who lack the necessary skills to shop online. Villagers can order goods at the stations and return a few days later to collect their packages.

The number of Alibaba village service stations has risen from three in 2009 to 780, with plans to build a total of 100,000 such stations by 2019.