The yearly average income for China's farmers reached 2,936 yuan (355 US dollars) in 2004, up 12 percent over 2003, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

The income growth rate for farmers was up to 6.8 percent in real terms in 2004, the highest increase since 1997, according to the sample survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics.

The statistics show that income from agricultural production accounts for a great portion of the growth. In 2004 agricultural production income for every rural family rose by an average of 13.3 percent to 1,746 yuan (211 US dollars).

Wage income also contributed greatly to farmers' income growth in 2004. The yearly wage income for farmers was 998 yuan (121 US dollars), up 8.6 percent over 2003.

Government subsidies to farmers also saw an obvious increase.