STORY: China's grain producing areas work to safeguard bumper harvest
DATELINE: Oct. 16, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:11
LOCATION: HARBIN/CHANGCHUN/HEFEI/JINAN, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of farmers harvesting in farmlands
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): YAN JIWEN, Staff member of a rural revitalization development service center in Handaqi Town, Heilongjiang Province
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): ZHAO YINGCHUN, Director of a local agricultural cooperative in Xunke County, Heilongjiang Province
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): HU ZHIYONG, Director of a local agricultural cooperative, Huantai County, Shandong Province
5. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): WANG XIJIU, Staff member of a digital agricultural development center, Huantai County, Shandong Province
6. SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): ZHOU XUEBIN, Director of an agricultural technology station, Tongling City, Anhui Province

STORYLINE:

The autumn harvest is in full swing in major grain-producing areas across China.

To achieve a bumper harvest, the country has spared no effort in promoting soil conservation and agricultural science and technology.

Heilongjiang Province, China's top grain producer, has prioritized green agricultural technology and the protection of its black soil.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): YAN JIWEN, Staff member of a rural revitalization development service center in Handaqi Town, Heilongjiang Province
"We actively promote the application of green production technologies to new business entities and farmers, including the use of green pesticides, intelligent agricultural machinery, and organic fertilizers. Meanwhile, agricultural technicians carry out integrated farming to help us build a green demonstration zone for soybean planting."

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): ZHAO YINGCHUN, Director of a local agricultural cooperative in Xunke County, Heilongjiang Province
"The yield for autumn grain is very good, and the weather has been quite favorable. We are expecting a bumper harvest. We anticipate completing the harvest in about 10 days. Next year, our cooperative will continue to protect our black soil, and prepare for better yields in the future, bringing more benefits to farmers."

In Huantai County, east China's Shandong Province, the construction of high-standard farmland involving irrigation ditches and underground pipelines has benefitted local farmers.

And the use of a new type of corn combine harvester is making the harvesting process very efficient.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): HU ZHIYONG, Director of a local agricultural cooperative, Huantai County, Shandong Province
"We used to rely on traditional corn harvesters, which required both threshing and sun drying afterwards. It's too time-consuming for us. Now, the new harvester saves us the processes of threshing and sun drying, allowing us to proceed directly to the next stage and prepare for planting wheat in advance."

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): WANG XIJIU, Staff member of a digital agricultural development center, Huantai County, Shandong Province
"From our surveys, we have seen an increase in corn yields on 305,000 mu (20,333 hectares) in the county compared to last year. We conduct timely maintenance on the 396 corn combine harvesters, and orderly arrange the use of machineries to make sure that the crops are harvested in time."

In Tongling, east China's Anhui Province, agricultural experts have worked in the fields to offer help.

SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): ZHOU XUEBIN, Director of an agricultural technology station, Tongling City, Anhui Province
"(During the rice growth process,) our agricultural technicians actively provided field guidance, combating diseases and pests during the heading stage, and enhancing the adoption of technical measures. It is expected that this year's rice yield in our region can reach 800 kg per mu (about 0.067 hectares)."

SOUNDBITE 6 (Chinese): LING DAYU, Local farmer, Tongling City, Anhui Province
"I planted 547 mu (about 36.5 hectares) of (glutinous rice) this year, and I estimate that the total yield will be around 450 to 500 tonnes. I can make roughly 600 to 700 yuan per mu (about 0.067 hectares)." 
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Harbin/Changchun/Hefei/Jinan, China.
(XHTV)