China's imports and exports of farm products in the first eight months of the year total US$36.32 billion, 9.33 percent more than one year earlier.

Exports hit 17.35 billion, up 23.7 percent, while imports US$18.97 billion, down 1.2 percent.

It is predicted that the trade deficit of farm products will be remarkably lower than last year's US$4.89 billion.

Statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics show, 1, 000 enterprises, which include top ten enterprises in the nation's 100 key sectors, realized profits of 489.2 billion yuan or 43.1 percent of the total industrial profits.

From 2001 to 2004, China had brought soil erosion areas of about 200, 000 square kilometers under control and more than 300, 000 square kilometers of land under protection, built 35 million mu (15 mu equals one hectare) basic farmland and 7.53 million small water conservancy projects.

By People's Daily Online