From taxing to subsidizing farmers in China post-1978

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to document the pace and extent to which China’s policy regime has transitioned over the past four decades from explicitly and implicitly taxing to subsidizing its farmers relative to its producers of other tradable goods; to present projections of the world economy to 2030 that suggest China will continue to become more food import-dependent under current policies and productivity growth rates; and to explore alternative policy instruments for remaining food secure and ensuring that farmers are not losers from economic growth.