On 27 July 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA), together with nine other government departments, released the Implementation Plan for Promoting Agricultural Product Consumption (Ag Product Consumption Plan). The plan aims to strengthen domestic demand for agricultural products by improving supply quality, expanding market channels, encouraging innovation in distribution and branding, and promoting healthy and sustainable consumption.
Key measures
Enhancing supply of green and high-quality products
The plan calls for optimizing the supply of green and high-quality products through stronger certification, brand development, and standardization.
- Promote green, organic, and specialty products as well as products with geographical indications through improved certification and branding.
- Strengthen traceability and post-certification supervision to ensure authenticity.
- Establish grading and evaluation standards, such as beef quality assessments and fruit grading systems.
- Support R&D partnerships to develop new food ingredients and ready-to-eat, healthy convenience foods.
Expanding consumption channels and rural–urban linkages
The plan promotes agricultural fairs, festivals, and exhibitions to strengthen market circulation and consumer access.
- Expand signature events like the Chinese Farmers’ Harvest Festival and “Buy Local” campaigns.
- Upgrade cold-chain logistics, rural marketplaces, and urban retail facilities.
- Encourage new retail models such as “store-warehouse integration,” community “vegetable baskets,” and order-based production.
- Strengthen rural–urban connectivity to boost farmers’ incomes and reduce post-harvest losses.
Leveraging e-commerce and digital platforms
To expand online sales, the plan builds on the Internet Plus Agricultural Products initiative to enhance e-commerce infrastructure and user experience.
- Promote livestreaming campaigns to showcase regional specialties and local brands.
- Support training and traffic incentives for rural e-commerce entrepreneurs and farmer influencers.
- Improve algorithmic fairness and visibility for high-quality agricultural products.
- Encourage “new Chinese style” product design to appeal to younger consumers.
Strengthening inter-regional cooperation and targeted support
The plan emphasizes regional cooperation and targeted assistance to boost consumption and balance supply chains.
Build joint production–marketing mechanisms between provinces and regions.
- Deepen “East–West Collaboration” to connect producers in less developed areas with major consumption markets.
- Support former poverty-stricken regions through brand promotion and certification fee reductions.
- Expand government procurement and platform sales for local agricultural and related products.
Promoting healthy and nutritious consumption
The plan highlights nutrition and food safety as key elements of consumption upgrading.
- Improve school meal programs and promote balanced nutrition for students and seniors.
- Expand the inclusion of soy products, dairy, and high-protein foods in institutional catering.
- Implement national health campaigns such as “Healthy Eating, Balanced Diet” and “Drink Milk, Eat Beans, Add Vegetables and Fruits.”
- Create food maps highlighting regional dairy, beef, and specialty products to connect consumption with tourism.
Building strong agricultural brands
Brand development is seen as essential for boosting consumer trust and upgrading demand.
- Launch an Agricultural Brand Excellence Program and establish a national brand service platform.
- Develop provincial brand directories and publish brand consumption guides.
- Encourage creative marketing approaches such as co-branding, seasonal launches, and limited editions.
- Provide training for enterprises on brand management, marketing innovation, and digital promotion.
Integrating agriculture, culture, and tourism
The plan envisions deeper integration of agricultural consumption with rural leisure and culture.
- Promote initiatives such as “Four Seasons in the Countryside,” “Village Gourmet Festivals,” and “Beautiful Countryside Tourism Routes.”
- Support development of rural B&Bs, handicraft workshops, and cultural fairs featuring local foods and traditions.
- Encourage “village brand” events—such as village marathons, fairs, and art festivals—to boost local product visibility.
Coordinated implementation and financial support
To ensure effective execution, the plan emphasizes coordination, supervision, and financial innovation.
- Strengthen cross-departmental collaboration and integrate agricultural consumption policies with broader economic measures.
- Improve food safety, quality traceability, and market monitoring.
- Encourage financial institutions to expand credit and pledge loans for agricultural producers.
- Support innovative financing for marketing, branding, and logistics improvements.
Why it matters
The Ag Product Consumption Plan marks a clear policy shift from securing sufficient food supply to promoting healthier diets and enabling farmers to capture greater value. By linking agricultural modernization with upgraded consumption, it aims to stimulate domestic demand, increase rural incomes, and align production with changing consumer preferences.
The stronger focus on nutrition, branding, and quality shows that China’s food policy is now guided not only by food security concerns, but also by the pursuit of value creation and sustainable rural development. Implicitly, this shift is expected to channel more investment into rural areas as China upgrades its infrastructure, logistics, and agri-food value chains.
Sources
MARA, NDRC, MOE, MIIT, MOFCOM, MCT, NHC, SAMR, GASC & CNIPA. (2025, July 27). 关于印发《促进农产品消费实施方案》的通知 [Notice on Issuing the Implementation Plan for Promoting Agricultural Product Consumption]. Retrieved October 16, 2025, from https://www.moa.gov.cn/govpublic/SCYJJXXS/202507/t20250727_6476029.htm.
