(Focusing on China's high-quality development) Xinjiang's "super cotton fields" lead the new format of smart agriculture

China News Agency, Yuli, Xinjiang, September 19th - Question: "Super Cotton Fields" in Xinjiang Leading a New Business Model of Smart Agriculture

China News Agency reporter Guan Xuezhao and Sun Tingwen

"Hello everyone, I am one of the challengers who managed 3000 acres of land with two people," said Ai Haipeng, a young man born in 1990, introducing himself.

Ai Haipeng is one of the managers of Jifei's "Super Cotton Field" in Yuli County, Bazhou, Xinjiang. A reporter from China News Agency recently saw during an interview in Yuli County that the 3000 acres of cotton under his management had already begun to produce cotton fibers. The gentle breeze blew by, and the snow-white cotton fibers appeared and disappeared in the cotton fields. By October, this will become the "ocean of cotton".

Another manager who collaborated with Ai Haipeng was Ling Lei, born in 1992. Their example of "managing 3000 acres of cotton fields together" has been talked about by local cotton farmers. This project was launched in April 2021, and this year is the third season of the "Super Cotton Field". Only the two of them are responsible for the cotton from sowing to harvesting.

Bazhou is a high-quality cotton production base and an important characteristic agricultural product production base in Xinjiang. The cotton income in Yuli County accounts for more than 60% of the per capita net income of farmers in the county. This year, the cotton planting area in Bazhou is about 3.2 million mu, of which Yuli County has 1 million mu.

It is reported that "Super Cotton Field" has implemented "integrated water and fertilizer management" by applying Jifei agricultural drones, agricultural unmanned vehicles, remote sensing drones, agricultural machinery self driving devices, a series of IoT devices, and smart agriculture related system platforms. As a result, Ai Haipeng and Ling Lei have achieved "two people managing 3000 acres of cotton field".

"Compared to traditional agriculture, the daily management of 'super cotton fields' does not require long-term workers, and 80% of agricultural activities such as watering, fertilizing, weeding, and spraying can be completed by mobilizing robots." Ai Haipeng told reporters that' super cotton fields' have been in operation for three years since 2021. During this period, he and his team developed various types of robots, striving to create an unmanned farm intelligent management system that integrates intelligent perception, intelligent warning, intelligent analysis, intelligent decision-making, expert online guidance, and autonomous operation of agricultural machinery. "By mobilizing robots, we have not only saved manpower, time, and capital costs, but also utilized precise measurement data from robots to monitor crop growth environments and manage cotton fields more scientifically."

On September 18th, in Yuli County, Bazhou, Xinjiang, workers were spraying medicine on the "Super Cotton Field" by manipulating the Jifei Agricultural Drone. Photo by Sun Tingwen, journalist from China News Agency

It is understood that compared with traditional cotton fields grown by large cotton growers in the surrounding areas, the "Super Cotton Field" in 2022 can save more than 175 yuan per acre in labor costs, and more than 410 yuan per acre in seed, water, medicine, fertilizer, and other production materials. To achieve all of this, it only requires an additional investment of less than 170 yuan per acre in intelligent equipment renovation and maintenance costs. In addition, with the continuous optimization and improvement of the basic equipment and planting mode of "Super Cotton Field", the subsequent investment costs will be further reduced.

Ai Haipeng said that the successful practice of "two people managing 3000 acres of cotton fields" has attracted the attention of many cotton farmers around him. Currently, 2500 acres of cotton fields have been absorbed as experimental fields, and they have all achieved considerable profits. Farmer Yang Xiaojia is one of the beneficiaries. According to Ai Haipeng, in 2022, Yang Xiaojia's farm had two management workers and 12 long-term workers. This year, the number of management workers was reduced to one and the number of long-term workers was reduced to eight. Roughly speaking, one acre of land saved 50 yuan, and the 2000 acres of cotton he planted could save 100000 yuan.

"The operation threshold of the 'Super Farm' system is low, and everyone can use it. We hope to have more than 1 million acres of cotton fields using our 'Super Farm' system next year. 'Ai Haipeng said that behind the' Super Farm 'system is a research and development team of nearly 600 people, of which about 200 people visit Xinjiang's' Super Cotton Fields' and surrounding farms every year for research, in order to better understand user needs and improve service standards.

The staff of "Super Cotton Field" explained to the reporter the entire process of managing cotton using the Jifei Smart Agriculture System. Photo by Sun Tingwen, journalist from China News Agency

In recent years, smart agriculture such as "super cotton fields" has continuously expanded its area in Yuli County. Yassen Keyimu, Deputy Secretary of the Party Group and Director of the Agriculture and Rural Bureau of Yuli County, said that out of the 1 million acres of cotton planted in Yuli County, 420000 acres have reached high standard farmland through the construction of high standard farmland, including 100000 acres of digital cotton fields and 30000 acres of smart cotton fields.

It is reported that due to the application of new technologies, the planting rate of 3.2 million mu of cotton in Bazhou has significantly increased, and the cost has significantly decreased. At present, out of the 3.2 million acres of cotton fields in Bazhou, 801000 acres have been developed into high standard farmland, achieving intensification, scaling, and mechanization. The comprehensive mechanization rate of cotton cultivation, planting, and harvesting has reached 93% this year, promoting cost saving and income increase for cotton farmers.