The real harvest is what farmers pocket and spend

A good harvest is worth celebrating. But the more important question for farmers is what comes after the harvest and how much of the value finds its way into their pockets.

The Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival, which falls on Sept 23, is more than a celebration of how much has been produced. Its deeper significance lies in asking whether farmers can earn more from what they produce, whether rural consumers can enjoy better goods and services, and if the two empower each other.

Farmers may produce more but still face volatile prices when large volumes reach the market at the same time. Raw agricultural products also tend to capture less value than goods that are processed, branded and connected to wider markets. The distance between the farm gate and the consumer's table is not simply a matter of logistics. It is where much of the value of agriculture is created and where farmers need opportunities to capture more of it.

China's grain output reached 715 million metric tons in 2025, while per capita grain availability exceeded 500 kilograms, above the global average. Yet, a good harvest does not automatically lead to a good income. The most sustainable path from a bumper harvest to a better livelihood for farmers runs through the value chain. Processing grain into food products, developing brands around local specialties, improving cold-chain logistics and connecting producers directly with supermarkets and online platforms can create new sources of value and employment. The success of the Golden Autumn Consumption Season illustrates the potential: since its launch in 2020, the initiative has helped drive more than 160 billion yuan ($23.88 billion) in agricultural product sales.

The goal of the food industry is not only to produce more, but to extend the industry chain and raise the value generated from each unit of agricultural output. Grain, for instance, can become food, ingredients, feed and other products through different levels of processing and utilization. Stronger processing capacity can turn agricultural resources into local industries, businesses and jobs.

Meanwhile, rural consumption is also rising. Farmers are not only producers in the rural economy, but also consumers whose changing demand can reshape what rural businesses produce. A village market, a farm-based restaurant, a cultural experience or a rural tourism destination can create value apart from selling an agricultural product.

Income growth and consumption upgrading are two ends of the same rural economic cycle. When farmers earn more, they have greater capacity to consume. In the first half of this year, the per capita disposable income of rural residents reached 12,699 yuan, up 5.5 percent in real terms year-on-year, 2.1 percentage points higher than the growth for urban residents. Retail sales of consumer goods in rural areas reached 4.4 trillion yuan in the period from January to August, up 2.3 percent year-on-year and 1.3 percentage points more than in urban areas.

Stronger rural demand creates markets for goods and services, encouraging businesses to improve their products and creating new employment opportunities. Better processing, branding and distribution can then allow agricultural producers to capture more value, supporting further income growth.

When the annual celebration becomes a reminder to build lasting links between production, income and consumption, the real harvest will show up in farmers' wallets and in the strength of the rural economy.