A LARGE-SCALE investigation into the plight of farmers and problems in the countryside is to be held by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture.
About 550 officials will form 49 groups to spend 21/2 months looking into the problems in villages.
The newly-elected Minister of Agriculture, Mr Liu Jiang, warned in a New China News Agency report that China's reform and modernisation drive ''will be hindered if the rural problems are not solved properly''.
He said groups would go to villages and farms in 26 provinces and regions from Thursday to gather information about problems in rural China and the prospects for this year's grain and cotton production.
The groups will also check on the implementation of the central government's policies, issued during the past few months, on reducing farmers' financial burdens and measures to boost production.
Alarmed by farmers' grievances, Chinese leaders have vowed to take prompt and effective measures to boost agricultural development.