Across China, farmers are preparing for spring planting, a critical period for ensuring the nation’s food security. From early rice seedlings in Hunan province to winter wheat fields in Anhui and the first plowing of the season in Tibet, a nationwide effort is underway to maximize agricultural output.
The spring agricultural season is of paramount importance, emphasized by President Xi Jinping, who stressed the need to ensure grain production and food security. The “Fifteenth Five-Year Plan” sets a target of approximately 1.45 trillion jin (roughly 725 billion kilograms) of grain production, raising the bar for agricultural yields.
In Anhui province, farmer Li Qingwu inspected his winter wheat fields following recent rainfall. Despite a delayed planting last autumn due to prolonged rain, the wheat is showing strong growth. “It’s looking decent, very vigorous!” Li told reporters. He proactively applied fertilizer and herbicides to ensure a healthy crop, aided by guidance from agricultural technicians.
The spring planting season is crucial for both summer and autumn harvests. Across the country, local authorities are mobilizing resources to ensure timely and high-quality field management and spring sowing. In Hunan province’s Changde city, farmer He Xinping completed the seeding of nearly 20 acres of rice paddies before recent rains, anticipating optimal growing conditions for transplanting in approximately 20 days.
Further north, in Heilongjiang province’s Daqing city, farmer Yuan Hongguang is preparing to plant over 9,000 acres of corn, currently focused on maintaining his farm equipment and securing necessary agricultural inputs like fertilizer.
In the southwestern Tibet Autonomous Region, the annual spring plowing ceremony took place on March 16th in Jeba village, Shannan city. Farmers, dressed in traditional attire, sowed seeds following tractors, marking the start of the growing season.
According to the latest agricultural situation report from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, winter wheat acreage remains stable, with over 80 percent of the crop exhibiting healthy growth, a 30 percentage point increase compared to the winter sowing period. Early rice seeding is 35 percent complete nationwide, slightly ahead of schedule, with Hainan province exceeding 70 percent completion, followed by Guangdong and Guangxi provinces.
Beyond traditional grain production, farmers are diversifying their efforts. In Guangdong province, the “Marine Spring Farming Season” is underway, with aquaculture companies harvesting greenback flounder and cultivating modern fry. Fruit growers in the Guanzhong Plain are pruning apple trees, although vegetable farmers in Yunnan province are preparing fields for spring and summer crops.
The government is investing in agricultural technology to boost productivity. At a rice seedling nursery in Zhejiang province’s Yao city, automated production lines are significantly increasing efficiency. The system automates soil filling, seeding, and watering, with robotic arms handling seedling trays, increasing output by approximately 30 percent compared to traditional methods.
In Hebei province’s Baoding city, agricultural cooperatives are utilizing plant protection drones equipped with BeiDou navigation systems for efficient pesticide and fertilizer application. Li Chen, a senior agronomist from Liaoning province’s Zhangwu county, is providing technical guidance to farmers on increasing corn yields through improved varieties and techniques like shallow buried drip irrigation and integrated pest management.
The government is also providing financial support, with the China Agricultural Development Bank allocating 180 billion yuan (approximately $25 billion USD) for spring plowing loans. As of March 14th, 127.247 billion yuan had been disbursed, representing 72.87 percent of the total allocated for the previous year. Central government funds totaling 1.25 billion yuan have been allocated to 11 major wheat-producing provinces to support efforts to strengthen weak seedlings.
To ensure adequate supplies, China Supply Group has secured agreements with over 400 fertilizer and pesticide suppliers, guaranteeing a total supply exceeding 6 million tons of fertilizer and 70,000 tons of pesticides. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has dispatched 11 working groups and 21 technical teams to major producing provinces to provide on-site guidance and training.
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