China's Agriculture Land Stands Risk Of Pollution

China's farmland is becoming increasingly polluted, with coal-dependent factories and polluted waterways causing billions of dollars in damages, state press reported Monday. Heavy metals contaminate 12 million tonnes of grains each year, leading to direct losses of more than 20 billion yuan (2.6 billion dollars), the China Daily said, citing the nation's environmental watchdog.

More than 10 million hectares (24.7 million acres), or 10 percent of China's farming land, has been ruined, the paper said, citing other reports in the state-run press.