Consumption Power: Igniting the Rural Consumer Market in

China
消费力: 启动农村消费市场的关键

Abstract
This paper is focused on the rural economy in China. The main objective of the inquiry is to
provide fresh ideas that contribute to the vitalization of the rural consumer market. The rapid
economic growth experienced by the coastal regions has not been fully shared across the rest of
the population. As a part of China has become affluent first, the poverty gap and social condition
disparity widened. A quick survey of literature on the subject and data analyses on
macroeconomic statistics confirmed the situation.

The review of studies on the subject also revealed that the main challenges faced by China’s
agricultural sector presents as paradoxes with other social priorities: 1. Meeting the requirements
of WTO while developing a strong and efficient national agricultural industry; 2. Importance of
food self-sufficiency against market integration and comparative advantages; 3. Continued
economic growth, internal demand, quality of life of the Chinese people and social inequity; and,
4. Lack of enough support and infrastructure in the urban centres for further migration and
transition of the rural population and workforce. Data analyses uncovered correlation patterns
with governmental policies, including food self-sufficiency policies. Besides the lack of
exploitation of comparative advantages in the global agricultural market, from the data, this paper
also found that internally, comparative advantages and market integration between provinces have
not been realized.

Building from the Chinese conception of “consumption power”, a more formalized definition
identifying three main constituent domains for consumption power was posited: 1. Net
Disposable Income; 2. Leveraged Purchasing Power; and, 3. Availability of Consumer Products.
From this foundation, along with considerations of the dilemmas presented and the objective of
igniting the rural consumer market, a conceptual framework was proposed. Some specific
suggestions were included, for example an idea to resolve the food self-sufficiency concern with
development of comparative advantages by focusing on total production of nutrient components
(e.g. protein, carbohydrates, etc.) rather than of food items (e.g. pork, rice, etc.) was
contemplated. Along with the proposed conceptual framework, items for further studies that
could help to flesh out the details into a more complete recommendation were provided.

The findings in the paper call for urgent and cautious approaches to the issue of economic and
social disparity between the rural and urban conditions in China. The proposed framework on the
other hand holds potential that the dilemmas faced can be resolved with more innovative
programs that addresses rather than avoids the paradoxes. While the challenges are real and the
circumstances difficult, with coherent supporting policies and a comprehensive approach guided
by the government and participated by the industry, there is not only hope for improving the rural
conditions, but also promise to solidify the sustainability of China’s rapid growth economy with
substantiated internal demand.

本文的集中探讨焦点在于中国农村经济的情况，。目标是提供一些能帮助为启动农村消费
市场的作出一点贡献并提供一些新思维。中国沿海经济开放地区的迅速发展并未让全国人
民受惠。当一部份人先富了起来，贫富的差距与社会民生景势的差异亦随之而拉大。本文
对有关文献的粗略回顾及宏观经济数据的分析亦确认了这个概况。

在探讨有关文献时，亦揭示了中国在农业发展及社会问题上多方面的两难局面：1、对进
入世贸组织诚诺的实浅与对国家农业竞争力的发展；2、粮食自给自足在国家安全上的需
要与农产品相对优势的建立及市场的整合；3、持续经济增长、内需、生活质素及社会公
义的兼顾；以及，4、城市基建未能配合大规模农村劳动力的转移和迁徙。数据分析的结
果进一步展现了中央政府政策对整体经济的重大影响。本文更发现，农产品除随了缺乏在
国际贸易上相对优势的开发外，国内省与省之间的市场整合及相对优势利用亦未见实行。

根跟据中国人对意外地别具中国色彩的「消费力」的概念，本文对消费力这个词语提出了
一个在经济学上较具体的解释。定义中消费力的结构由以下三个范畴组成：1、实际可支
配收入；2、杠杆购买力；以及，3、消费品存在供应。从这个消费力观点的基础上，加上
上述不同的两难问题和启动农村市场的目标，本文提出了一个创新的概念框架。当中亦包
聒了一点具体建见议。例如，其中一个构思，针对协调粮量食自足与相对优势开发，提出
了以粮食成份（e.g. 蛋白质、殿粉质，等）为政策制定的准则，而以非以食物种类（e.g.
猪肉、白米，等）为依据。最后，除随了建见议的概念框架外，文章亦提出了一些待进一
步部研究的项目。

本文的研究发现，指示了我国城乡经济及社会民生差距问题的逼切性及对其谨紧慎处理的
重种要性。另一方面，文中建见议概念框架的潜力则展示了本着自主创新的精神亦可能找
到克服多项两难局面的玄机。正所谓：「有危必有机」。虽然，所面对的挑战是真确的，
处于的景况亦是困难的，但籍着有效及协调性政策的支持，政府全面性的引领及业界的响
应参与，不仅有希望可对改善农村经济环境能有希望，更可从扎实内需中稳固我国经济的
持续迅速增长。

Keywords: Rural Consumer Market, China Market Research, Agricultural Industry,

Consumption Power, Food Self-Sufficiency, Chinese Rural Economy.

关键词：农村消费市场，中国市场调查，农产品工业，消费力，粮食自足，中国农村市场。