BEIJING, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The cash income of Chinese farmers gained 15.2 percent in nominal terms in the first quarter of this year, Li Xiaochao, spokesman with the National Bureau of Statistics, said on Thursday.

    Li said at a press conference that their average income added 166 yuan (21.5 U.S. dollars) to 1,260 yuan compared with a year ago. He added the growth is 12.1 percent after price adjustments, the highest rise since the same period in 1997.