Decoding the Three Treasures of Xinjiang Summer Grain Harvest Area | Wheat | Summer Grain

On July 14th, in the wheat field of Ergong Village, Sangong Town, Changji City, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, a wheat combine harvester was harvesting winter wheat. He Long Photography/Bright Picture

Recently, there was good news at the press conference on the production of summer grain in Xinjiang in 2023: this year, Xinjiang's summer grain has achieved a "three increase" in area, total production, and unit yield, with a total production of 7.012 million tons, an increase of 460000 tons compared to the previous year. The summer grain production has reached a historic high, with the area and total production increment ranking first in the country.

In the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains, the joy of harvest permeates the vast fertile fields. This joy is written in the boundless fields, in the roar of large agricultural machinery, and in the brilliant smiles of the farmers.

Excellent varieties promote yield improvement, mechanized production improves production efficiency, and efficient utilization of water and fertilizer achieves cost saving and efficiency enhancement... Recently, reporters conducted interviews in the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains to crack the password for Xinjiang's summer grain harvest and high yield.

Strengthening: Increasing production capacity and stabilizing production capacity

Having food in hand and not panicking in the heart is always the truth. As one of the provinces with the richest solar and thermal resources, Xinjiang has unique conditions for grain production. As a major grain producing region far from the mainland, Xinjiang has established the goal of "surplus within the region and supply to the country" in grain work. To achieve this goal, Xinjiang strictly implements the food security responsibility system, increases unit yield, output, and production capacity, firmly stabilizing the "agriculture, rural areas, and farmers" and the cornerstone of food security.

Stabilizing the area and policies are the first moves to ensure a bountiful grain harvest. This year, Xinjiang distributed a central government incentive fund of 910 million yuan to 43 national level grain producing counties in the region, encouraging them to accelerate the development of the grain industry. Xinjiang has also fully utilized the role of agricultural subsidies as a "baton", raising the subsidy standard for protecting the soil fertility of winter wheat farmland to 230 yuan per mu, benefiting more than 1.3 million wheat growers, and increasing the enthusiasm of farmers for grain cultivation.

"This year, our family planted 10 acres of new wheat varieties and managed them well. The yield exceeded 650 kilograms per mu, an increase of 250 kilograms per mu from last year, and the harvest was very good." said Urmaiti Ruzebako, a villager from Sukaidun Village, Akchale Township, Hotan City, Xinjiang. Now, with the support of multiple agricultural policies such as land fertility protection subsidies and agricultural machinery subsidies, wheat planting has seen real benefits.

Wherever the policy tentacles extend, the joy of a bountiful harvest is transmitted: this year, the average wheat yield in Xinjiang has increased by 8.61 kilograms compared to the previous year. Various regions have set multiple national and autonomous region high-yield records in large-scale contiguous creation of fields and high-yield experimental demonstration fields.

"In 2023, Xinjiang's summer grain production achieved a good momentum of 'three increases' in area, total output, and unit yield. The area and total output increment ranked first in the country, and the unit yield increment ranked second in the country." Li Jing, a member of the Party Group and Deputy Director of the Xinjiang Agriculture and Rural Affairs Department, said that Xinjiang's contribution to ensuring national food security continues to rise.

"Behind the abundant harvest and high yield, the main benefit is the 'expansion' and 'increase in yield' of Xinjiang." Li Jing analyzed that by expanding the cultivation area, replanting, and adjusting the planting structure, the summer grain planting area has increased by nearly 800000 acres, laying the foundation for a bountiful harvest; At the same time, the widespread promotion and application of excellent wheat varieties, the continuous increase of high standard farmland construction area, and the continuous integration and application of key technologies have effectively promoted the improvement of wheat yield level in Xinjiang.

Refinement: Fine cultivation and deep tapping of potential

Xinjiang has a vast territory, with large-scale agriculture and agricultural machinery, allowing modern agriculture to flourish on this fertile land. Large scale agriculture not only brings mechanization and economies of scale, but also allows the concept of refinement to sprout in this fertile field.

In the fields of Alar City, the first division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, wheat waves roll and the sky is golden, with large combine harvesters galloping back and forth and the sound of machines roaring, creating a scene of abundant harvest.

"In order to seize agricultural time, we actively coordinate machinery and harvest about 7000 acres of land every day. More than 20000 acres of wheat in the entire Tuan Town are harvested within 3 days," said Zhang Jian, a technical personnel at the Agricultural Development Service Center in Xinkailing Town, 16th Regiment.

In order to achieve an increase in grain production, Xinjiang firmly grasps the two key points of seeds and farmland, continues to promote the construction of high standard farmland, and efficient water-saving irrigation accounts for more than 75% of the construction area of high standard farmland, laying a "soil fertility" foundation for improving grain production capacity.

This year, various regions in Xinjiang have strengthened the leadership of technological innovation and carried out the promotion and application of high-quality and high-yield standardized cultivation techniques for major grain crops such as wheat and corn throughout the region. Efforts have been made to vigorously promote planting management techniques such as dry sowing and wet discharge, and integrated water and fertilizer. Through the combination of good seeds, methods, fields, and opportunities, the potential for increased production has been deeply tapped.

Water is the lifeline of agricultural development in Xinjiang. Xinjiang is closely focused on the core issue of "where is the land, what is the species, and how to supply water", and systematically plans to increase grain production capacity. As of July 31, the cumulative agricultural irrigation water supply in Xinjiang has reached 34.986 billion cubic meters, 892 million cubic meters more than the same period last year, and the water supply for grain crops such as wheat has been fully guaranteed.

From large to fine, from wide to fine, the grain production mode in Xinjiang is undergoing tremendous changes. The grain industry with yield, efficiency, and potential has enabled more and more grain farmers in Xinjiang to enjoy dividends, achieve sustained and stable income growth, and also make Xinjiang's food security more confident and confident.

Excellence: Cost saving, efficiency increasing, high-quality and affordable

"My wheat field is this year's' champion field ', with a yield of 898.19 kilograms per mu!" On July 28th, in the wheat field of the Qitai Farm of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, where the winter wheat yield has increased by 10000 acres, Yan Jun, a worker from the 22nd Company, couldn't help but smile.

Under the precise guidance of experts from the technology mission team, Qitai Farm has adopted integrated drip irrigation, water and fertilizer technology, reducing operational processes and significantly reducing wheat planting costs.

"By adopting drip irrigation water fertilizer integration technology, water and fertilizer can be smoothly transported directly to the roots of crops, reducing fertilizer loss and improving water utilization efficiency. Winter wheat can increase yield by nearly 100 kilograms per mu, achieving cost saving and efficiency improvement, increased income for farmers, and green, high-quality, and efficient production of wheat." said Chen Jianglu, Deputy Researcher at the Grain and Oil Research Office of the Agricultural Science Research Institute of the Sixth Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps.

Nowadays, new products, technologies, and concepts have liberated the hands and feet of farmers and changed their thinking. A large number of new professional farmers have grown up, opening up a new Xintiandi for rural revitalization.

Zhu Bing, a farmer from Liushuhezi Village, Xibeiwan Town, Qitai County, Changji Prefecture, Xinjiang, said that in recent years, measures such as optimizing the quality of cultivated land and integrating water and fertilizer technology have made a qualitative change in the grain production capacity of cultivated land. "Previously, watering wheat fields 24 hours a day was inseparable from humans, but now it can be directly operated with a mobile phone, saving time, effort, and accuracy."

What is even more gratifying is that while Xinjiang has increased its grain production and harvest, the purchase prices have remained stable and have risen, with clear characteristics of high quality and favorable prices. After a bountiful harvest of grain, in order to make farmers sell grain with ease, the Xinjiang Grain and Material Reserve Bureau guides various regions to actively implement the purchase funds, purchase warehouse capacity, purchase personnel, and purchase vehicles, guide multiple entities to enter the market for purchase, and stimulate market purchasing and sales vitality. At the same time, we actively promote measures such as pre purchase of grain and door-to-door services, and leverage the role of 84 post harvest grain service centers in the region to provide free cleaning and drying services for farmers. We strive to help farmers sell "clear grain", "warm grain", "comfortable grain", and "reassuring grain".