Latest methods play vital role in spring farmwork

By ZHAO RUIXUE in Jinan, TAN YINGZI and DENG RUI in Chongqing (CHINA DAILY) Updated: 2022-03-30

The summer harvest accounted for one-fifth of China's grain production last year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict persists, agricultural experts are worried about surging global food prices caused by many factors, including supply chain disruptions in Ukraine and Western sanctions against Russia. The two countries are among the top five wheat exporters, accounting for 29 percent of the global total.

China is strengthening field management for wheat that is planted late, according to this year's Government Work Report delivered by Premier Li Keqiang at the fifth session of the 13th National People's Congress on March 5.

Central and local authorities in major wheat production provinces have made efforts to promote the growth of vulnerable seedlings a key task for spring farmwork.

Since last month, experts have been sent to key wheat production areas by agricultural authorities to help farmers improve the quality of vulnerable seedlings.

Wang Fahong, a member of the team of wheat experts at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said that thanks to prompt efforts, including technical guidance and the machinery used at almost every stage of wheat growing, most vulnerable seedlings have recovered and are being grown in good conditions.

During the past two months, Wang, 60, who works at the Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, has visited most wheat production areas in Shandong to examine seedlings and soil conditions.

"The conditions for seedlings this year are more complicated. We need to provide different treatment measures according to the conditions of the seedlings and soil," Wang said.

One favorable factor is that temperatures during the winter were higher than in previous years, providing sound conditions for growing wheat, Wang added.