In order to avoid the loss of farm labor to urbanization, the Ministry of Agriculture called on local agriculture authorities to draw up regulations and support policy to back the development of family farms in China.

The ministry issued guidelines on Thursday, asking local agriculture authorities to speed up the development of and support for such farms.

Zhang Hongyu, director of the Industrial Policy and Regulation Department with the ministry, said people including farmers and graduates from agricultural schools are encouraged to manage family farms.

He added that the proper scale of family farms can guarantee profits gained through farming, which in turn will help increase the attraction of farming as an industry.

According to the latest statistics released by the ministry, about 2.9 million farmers operated farmland larger than 50 mu (3.3 hectares) each as of last year, and more than 870,000 family farms have been established nationwide.

The guidelines are good news for the country's family farm owners.

Sun Hongrong, who with his father runs a family farm that focuses on planting rice in Songjiang district, a suburb of Shanghai, said he is expecting a longer lease over his land, which is now under a five-year contract.

With more stable lease agreements, farmers will be more willing to invest in land, such as introducing organic methods, Sun added.

The Songjiang district initiated pilot programs for family farms seven years ago. Now 1,267 family farms are operating on 88 percent of the region's grain acreage, with an average arable land of 8 hectares.

A document issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council last year said policy preference will be given to more professional investors, family farms and rural cooperatives in farm production.