Spring plowing and pre-planting preparations in full swing, new-type fertilizers favored by farmers across regions
Spring returns to the earth, and spring plowing and pre-planting production are in full swing across various regions.
Reporter Guo Xiang reports that during this year's spring pre-planting period in Jilin Province, various new-type fertilizers such as organic fertilizers, biological fertilizers and specialty fertilizers have begun to be favored by farmers. It is said that new-type fertilizers can meet the demand of the traditional compound fertilizer market, retaining the basic characteristic of high nutrient content of ammonium nitrate while also featuring high use efficiency and environmental friendliness, with notable yield-increasing effects and good economic and social benefits.
“This spring plowing, I adjusted the proportion of fertilizers I purchased and applied more organic fertilizer.” Wang Jifa, a farmer in Zhenlai County, Baicheng City, Jilin Province, grows 8 hectares of corn. “In the past, 1 hectare of land needed 1600 jin of chemical fertilizer. Starting in 2012, I applied it in a ratio of 600 jin of organic fertilizer and 1000 jin of chemical fertilizer. The soil got better, the corn quality got better, and the yield increased too.”
It is understood that in 2015 the total demand for chemical fertilizer in all of Jilin Province was around 4.5 million tons, a year-on-year increase of about 2%, of which spring plowing production required about 3.6 million tons of chemical fertilizer. At present, the supply of chemical fertilizer for spring plowing in Jilin Province is sufficient and the varieties are complete.
Data from the Jilin Provincial Supply and Marketing Cooperative shows that in 2014, fertilizer prices in Jilin Province fell considerably. During the spring plowing and pre-planting period, the average declines of major fertilizers such as urea, diammonium phosphate and compound fertilizer reached 19.3%, 15.2% and 12.8%. This year's fertilizer prices rose slightly compared with last year: the selling price of urea rose by 50 yuan per ton, an increase of 2.6%; the selling price of diammonium phosphate rose by nearly 400 yuan per ton, an increase of 13.3%; and compound fertilizer rose by an average of 60 yuan per ton, an increase of 2.1%. Industry insiders expect that as the peak sales season arrives, there is still room for fertilizer market prices to rise, but the overall increase will not be too large.
Reporter Chen Chen reports that according to the Shaanxi Provincial Agricultural Remote Sensing Information Center, at present the relative humidity of the surface soil in some autumn-sown areas of Shaanxi shows moderate to severe moisture deficit. Agricultural experts suggest that supplementary water should be irrigated at the appropriate time to promote the normal greening-up of winter wheat.
The comprehensive monitoring results of Shaanxi's soil moisture in early March show that at present, in the autumn-sown areas of Shaanxi, the relative humidity of the surface soil shows moderate to severe moisture deficit in eastern Yan'an, western Baoji and eastern Weinan, mild moisture deficit in western Yan'an, Xianyang, southern Baoji, northern Xi'an and eastern Shangluo, while surface moisture in the remaining areas is good. As for the relative humidity of the cultivated layer soil, except for continued drought in northern Baoji and western Xianyang, moisture in the remaining areas is suitable, which is conducive to the safe overwintering of winter wheat and its subsequent regreening growth.
The short-term forecast of the Shaanxi Provincial Meteorological Observatory shows that, compared with the same period in previous years, precipitation across the province in mid-March is expected to be below normal, and the province's ten-day average temperature is expected to be about 1°C higher than the same period in previous years.
Recently, temperatures in Shaanxi's winter wheat areas have been on the high side, and moisture in most areas is suitable, which is conducive to the regreening growth of winter wheat. Combining the current crop growth conditions and later weather forecasts, agro-meteorological experts suggest that all regions should pay attention to strengthening field management, promptly check soil moisture and seedling conditions, and irrigate regreening water at the appropriate time to promote the normal regreening of winter wheat. Spring sowing areas should carry out spring plowing and pre-planting preparations in advance, and sow in spring at the appropriate time according to temperature and soil moisture.
Reporter Lyu Fuming reports that recently, the State Grid Yantai power supply system organized 136 “spring irrigation power supply service teams” to go deep into the fields to provide on-site electricity service and technical guidance, solve electricity difficulties in drought-resistant spring irrigation, and promptly stop and correct unsafe electricity use.
Last winter and this spring, rain and snow in Yantai were below normal, and drought occurred in some areas. To ensure safe and reliable electricity use during spring irrigation, Yantai Power Supply Company deployed ahead of time, made preparations in advance for spring irrigation electricity use, and provided high-quality power supply services to villager customers.
To ensure the power supply quality at key spring irrigation sites and key projects, Yantai Power Supply Company also established a 24-hour emergency service team for drought-resistant spring irrigation electricity use, achieving 24-hour rapid repair service, arriving at the site within 40 minutes for irrigation electricity faults, and restoring power supply within 2 hours.
Up to now, Yantai power supply service personnel have gone deep into the fields, strengthened the inspection and maintenance of power supply lines and facilities, eliminated 254 hidden safety hazards in irrigation and drainage equipment, helped farmers inspect and repair more than 500 unit-times of electricity-powered irrigation and drainage equipment free of charge, and helped farmers solve 122 electricity difficulties.