Green grain production increase requires optimizing the planting structure
Right now, wheat in the Huang-Huai-Hai region is successively entering the booting and heading stages, the double-cropping rice region in the south is in the seedling-raising and transplanting period, spring sowing in the Northeast has already unfolded across the board, and China's spring plowing production has entered a critical period from south to north. This year's summer grain production foundation is relatively good, the intention to plant grain has grown steadily, and spring sowing progress is generally smooth. At present, early rice seedling raising nationwide is nearing completion, with nearly 80 percent transplanted. Middle rice seedling raising has passed 80 percent, and field sowing has unfolded across the board.
After grain achieved “eleven consecutive increases,” tapping new potential in grain production capacity and cultivating new growth points in grain production mainly lie in two aspects. First, optimize the structure and stabilize the area. Appropriately reduce cash crops and expand grain crop planting. Promote reform of the farming system, develop intercropping and relay cropping in the Southwest and South China, expand multiple cropping, develop winter fallow fields in the South, and expand potato planting. It is expected that this year's summer grain area will be flat or slightly increased, and the full-year grain area will remain stable. Second, innovate science and technology to raise per-unit yield. Judging from the current state of China's grain production, apart from rice, which is at the world's leading level, the average per-mu yields of wheat, corn, soybean, and potato are respectively 150 kg, 120 kg, 50 kg, and 350 kg lower than those of developed countries, so there is still considerable potential to tap in per-unit yield.
This year, the Ministry of Agriculture will focus on the following work. First, highlight the “two storages” to enhance grain production capacity. One is “storing grain in the land.” Vigorously implement the National Overall Plan for the Construction of High-Standard Farmland, accelerate the construction of a batch of high-standard farmland that ensures stable yields despite drought or excessive rain, strictly implement the farmland protection system, and organize the implementation of the “Action for the Protection and Improvement of Farmland Quality.” The other is “storing grain in technology.” Advance scientific and technological innovation in the seed industry, promote the transformation of scientific research achievements, and advance integrated technological innovation, with the focus on carrying out research on green grain production increase models.
Second, strengthen the “two protections” to mobilize the enthusiasm of farmers and local governments. One is to protect the enthusiasm of farmers for farming and growing grain. Through measures such as improving agricultural subsidy policies and price policies, advancing appropriately scaled operations, and vigorously developing agricultural mechanization, guide farmers to grow more grain and grow good grain. The other is to protect the enthusiasm of major grain-producing areas for prioritizing agriculture and grain. Continue to increase fiscal rewards and subsidies for major grain-producing counties, reduce or cancel local matching funds for construction projects directly used for grain production in major grain-producing counties, and improve the benefit compensation mechanism for major producing areas.
Third, advance the “two machines” to raise the degree of production organization. One is to advance agricultural mechanization. Continue to implement the subsidy policy for the purchase of agricultural machinery and tools, support farmers and specialized service organizations in purchasing machinery and tools, and carry out agricultural machinery operation services. Advance the integration of agricultural machinery and agronomy, improve agricultural machinery and equipment, and promote full-process mechanized cultivation technology. The other is to advance institutional innovation. Accelerate the building of a three-dimensional and composite agricultural operation system based on household family management, linked by cooperation and association, and supported by socialized services, and raise the level of socialized services.
To advance research on green grain production increase models, this year “twelve major actions” will be carried out in a concentrated way, including water-saving irrigation for rice in the Northeast, capacity improvement for rice-wheat continuous cropping in the Jianghuai region, and the development of potato staple food products and industry. Promote new high-yield, high-efficiency, multi-resistance varieties, promote new large-scale, standardized, and mechanized cultivation technologies, advance farmland quality construction, and control fertilizer, pesticide, and water. Strive to achieve the “three increases,” aiming by 2020 to raise the annual average per-unit grain yield by 1 percentage point, raise the comprehensive mechanization rate for cultivation, planting, and harvesting of key grain crops by 10 percentage points, and raise the utilization rate of chemical fertilizers and pesticides to above 40 percent. Strive to achieve the “two zero-growth” goals, aiming by 2020 to achieve zero growth in the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in grain and agricultural production.