Timely steps taken to ensure harvest

A farmer harvests wheat in Pingyi county, Linyi city, East China's Shandong province, June 8, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua]

As winter wheat starts to green up, farmers across China are busy tending the crop to promote tiller development－the production of side shoots－with the hopes of offsetting the impact of flood-delayed planting and having a good summer harvest.

Zhen Lijun, a wheat grower in Qihe county of Dezhou, Shandong province, one of the nation's major wheat production bases, finished spraying herbicide on a large patch of wheat on Tuesday. Zhen runs an agricultural cooperative that manages 2,530 hectares of wheat for farmers in more than 10 villages.

"There are more vulnerable seedlings this year than in previous years because the late-planted wheat seeds were slower to emerge due to lower temperatures," he said.

Nationwide, one-third of the country's wheat-growing areas were planted about 15 days late due to flooding in five provinces, posing challenges to this year's harvest, said Tang Renjian, minister of agriculture and rural affairs, in an interview in Beijing on March 5 during the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress.

However, Tang said China can still ensure a harvest of summer grain, thanks to policy and technical support and improving grain crop conditions.

There are two major harvests in China－the harvest of summer grain, which is mainly winter wheat, and the harvest of autumn grain, which includes corn and middle－and late-season rice.

Across the country, local governments have made wheat planting and production their work priority since the planting period in October last year.

Henan province, a major wheat production province adjacent to Shandong, planted 5.67 million hectares of winter wheat last year, the same as the previous year.

Of that, 800,000 hectares was planted late due to flooding, with the last being planted at the end of November.

Late-planted wheat has survived the winter in Henan, but the seedlings are in weak condition, according to the agricultural authority in Henan.

To help weak seedlings grow strong, agricultural experts have been sent to major wheat production areas by the central government to help farmers in the crucial growing period of wheat, spanning from February to May.

Similarly, Zhen Lijun, the wheat grower in Shandong, and his fellow villagers have adopted several measures since mid-February to help vulnerable seedlings, such as applying fertilizer.

Under the instruction of experts, they applied fertilizer close to the wheat root, instead of spraying fertilizer on the soil surface as they did in previous years.

"In this way, we not only applied fertilizer but also hoed the soil," said Zhen.

He said that, based on his experience, the wheat yield this summer will not be reduced, thanks to timely and proper measures as well as warm conditions and wet soil.

"Smart farm equipment has also played an important role in farming management," he added.

The machine that Zhen used on Tuesday to spray herbicide can spray 2.67 to 3.33 hectares of wheat per hour. "The machine ensures that herbicide is sprayed evenly, which will achieve a good result in weed control."

Smart farming equipment, including tractors fitted with the China-developed Beidou Navigation Satellite System, is being used in every process of wheat planting and harvesting, according to Zhen.

"Smart farm equipment has not only boosted agricultural efficiency, but ensures that there is no waste in harvesting," he said.

Start of plowing in Lhasa

Meanwhile, in Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet autonomous region, machines are taking the place of yaks in spring plowing work.

The city held annual ceremonies on Wednesday to mark the start of this year's plowing season.

"Unlike in the past, when we used animals to plow, machines make it easier for people. They are more efficient," said Phurbu Tashi, a resident of Bude, a village in Lhasa's Chushul county where wheat and barley are planted.