Jiaxing's agriculture has a long history. Jiaxing, rich in resources, is praised as a land of fish and rice and the home of silk. It is a major base of grain, oil, livestock and fishery. With 14.466 billion yuan of gross output value of agriculture, 8.647 billion yuan of added value of primary industry, and 8,952 yuan as the per capita net income of peasants, Jiaxing has been ranking the first for three consecutive years in Zhejiang Province. The ratio between the urban residents and rural residents has shrunk to 1.99:1.

After entering the new century, with introduction of modern high efficiency eco-agriculture and the acceptance of new type of urban agriculture, Jiaxing's agriculture has taken on new characteristics. The agricultural production has retained steady growth. In 2006, Jiaxing's total grain output reached 1,288,000 ton, an increase of 7.9% over the last year. Industrialized management of agriculture has made important advances. Over 1000 agricultural enterprises and more than 160 specialized agricultural cooperatives have been set up, and five enterprise groups have formed, including grain and oil, poultry and livestock, vegetable processing, the integration of cocoon and silk, and farm product markets. Special featured farming festivals like Pinghu Watermelon Festival and Tongxiang Chrysanthemum Festival are growing vigorously. Development of modern leisure farming had been quickened, with 66 various sightseeing and eco-agricultural parks across the city constructed.