The State Council Information Office (SCIO) holds a press conference on performance of agriculture and the rural economy in the first half of 2026 in Beijing, capital of China, July 24, 2026. (Xinhua/Pan Xu)

BEIJING, July 24 (Xinhua) -- China's investment and consumption in rural areas achieved solid growth in the first half (H1) of 2026, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said on Friday.

Fixed-asset investment in the primary industry reached 460 billion yuan (about 67.71 billion U.S. dollars), up 0.9 percent year on year, while the value added of the primary industry grew by 3.7 percent during the same period, Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Zhang Xingwang told a press conference.

Retail sales of consumer goods in rural areas totaled 3.32 trillion yuan, an increase of 2.5 percent from a year earlier, outperforming urban retail growth by 1.3 percentage points -- a clear sign that rural consumption potential remains substantial.

"The resilience of rural consumption has become increasingly evident, positioning it as a key force in expanding domestic demand," Zhang said.

In the first six months of 2026, China's total agricultural imports and exports amounted to 163.78 billion U.S. dollars, rising 10.8 percent year on year. ■