Rural Observations in Henan

This National Day holiday, I went back to my village and asked the elders. For one mu of land, they charge 60 yuan for tilling and planting, and another 60 yuan for harvesting. Fertilizer costs about 150 yuan per bag per mu. The yield is roughly 300 jin, and the grain purchase price is 80 cents per jin. So farming barely breaks even or loses a few hundred yuan a year — it’s mainly just to have some homegrown grain to eat throughout the year. Meanwhile, rural medical insurance premiums have risen to 400 yuan per year, which is already unaffordable. Since farming isn’t profitable, no village allows or has anyone renovate houses, there’s no need for labor help, and it’s basically impossible to bring in any other income.

I don’t know what it’s like in other places.