Belgium-sized plot of chinese farmland polluted

A plot of farmland in China the size of Belgium is poluuted beyond use.

China's farmland has never been a particularly reliable resource, with only 10 per cent of its land able to farmed initially, but now 2 per cent of its arable land has been deemed too polluted for use.

The portion of land, which covers 3.3 million hectares (an area the size of Belgium), has been spoiled by the nation's rapid growth, reports Bloomberg. That economic expansion has fuelled industrial growth, resulting in concerns that the country's toxic soil could psoil crops and harm citizens.

China recently announced it would invest in 3 million hectares of Ukrainian farmland to support its growing population. As populations continue to rise across the world, pushing up demand for food and reducing the amount of land available for crops, the value of farmland is expected to continue to climb even higher.