The State Council approved upgrading the Shanxi Taigu agricultural high-tech industry demonstration zone into the Shanxi Jinzhong national agricultural high-tech industry demonstration zone, in a circular issued to the provincial government on Nov 26.

The demonstration zone covers an area of 106.49 square kilometers, whose boundary coordinates will be published by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Natural Resources.

It will carry out innovation-oriented development and rural revitalization strategies, and focus on the industry of agricultural and sideline products.

The zone will also be developed into a demonstration area for healthy food, functional agriculture, incubating sci-tech industries and local agricultural products, and a processing and logistic hub for agricultural products, according to the circular.

The circular mandated efforts to implement the mechanisms concerning farmland protection and land conservation.