Ministry of Agriculture Deploys Spring Sowing in Northeast China to Lay a Solid Foundation for an Autumn Grain Harvest

Grain Rain has passed, and spring plowing and sowing in Northeast China have entered an important stage. On April 24, the Ministry of Agriculture held a scheduling consultation on the spring plowing and sowing situation in the four provinces (regions) of Northeast China, closely focusing on the main line of work of “stabilizing grain and increasing income while adjusting structure, and improving quality and efficiency while transforming the development model”, accurately assessing the situation, responding scientifically and effectively, and promoting the completion of spring sowing tasks to high standards and with high quality, so as to seize the initiative for securing this year's autumn grain harvest.

Northeast China is a “major grain barn” and an important commercial grain base, playing a decisive role in stabilizing the overall national grain production situation. The Northeast is also a single-crop region, making it crucial to establish the seedlings during spring sowing. At present, the overall situation for spring plowing production in Northeast China is relatively good: seedbed preparation work is solid, agricultural inputs are in sufficient supply, and soil moisture is better than in previous years, which is conducive to sowing at appropriate soil moisture. However, there are also some difficulties, mainly that the traditional western dryland area still has 40 million mu of dry white land lacking soil moisture, and parts of northeastern Heilongjiang and the Hetao area of Inner Mongolia show signs of waterlogging. During the flood season, the flood situation in the Songhua River basin may be relatively serious, periodic low temperatures may occur in summer, and the problem of drought and water shortage in some areas is also quite prominent. The El Nino event continues to develop, and “floods in the south and drought in the north” may occur in summer. At the same time, limited room for area expansion and relatively great downward pressure on grain prices also bring challenges to grain production. Agricultural departments at all levels in Northeast China must firm up confidence, overcome difficulties, make every effort to promote the smooth progress of spring sowing, and firmly grasp the initiative to win another bumper harvest.

As the farming proverb says, “Do not plant fields in May, do not transplant rice seedlings in June.” At present, rice seedling raising in Northeast China is nearing completion, and field sowing is in full swing, making the farming season very urgent. The Ministry of Agriculture requires that the four provinces (regions) of Northeast China base themselves on combating disasters to secure a bumper harvest, strengthen guidance and services, implement key measures, seize the farming season, and sow and transplant quickly, so as to get the year's grain and agricultural production off to a good start. First, vigorously implement area targets. Strengthen policy publicity and information guidance, guide farmers in arranging their planting structure, and ensure sown area is fulfilled. Optimize and adjust the planting structure, appropriately reduce corn planting in high-latitude and arid areas, and switch to drought-tolerant crops such as miscellaneous grains and beans, potatoes, and silage corn. Carry out pilot projects for converting grain to feed and grain-bean rotation, and implement them to households and fields as soon as possible. Second, vigorously implement sowing quality. Guide farmers to select varieties suited to the appropriate period according to local and seasonal conditions, and prevent planting beyond suitable zones. Vigorously carry out deep loosening and land preparation, promote technologies such as rice greenhouse seedling raising, seed coating, ridged corn planting, and mechanical precision sowing, improve sowing quality, and strive for full seedlings in one sowing. Third, vigorously implement demonstration-driven progress. Do a good job in pilot projects for tackling key problems in green grain yield increase models, and organize and carry out action plans in Northeast China for water-saving irrigation of 80 million mu of rice, biological control of 100 million mu of corn, and grain-to-feed planting-breeding circulation of 20 million mu in farming-pastoral ecotone areas. At the same time, carry out pilot projects for black soil protection in Northeast China. Fourth, vigorously implement guidance and services. Organize experts to formulate technical guidance opinions by disaster type, region, and variety, strengthen classified guidance, implement key technologies, and ensure the smooth progress of spring sowing.