China's comprehensive mechanization rate for crop cultivation, planting and harvesting exceeds 60%

The reporter learned from the Ministry of Agriculture that in 2014, reform and innovation in the implementation of the agricultural machinery purchase subsidy policy were intensified, and various key tasks such as the integration of agricultural machinery and agronomy, socialized agricultural machinery services, technology promotion, education and training, and supervision and management were steadily advanced. In 2014, the comprehensive mechanization level for crop cultivation, planting and harvesting nationwide exceeded 60%, and is expected to reach more than 61%, achieving the goal of the “12th Five-Year Plan” one year ahead of schedule.

Innovation in the agricultural machinery purchase subsidy system was intensified, and policy implementation became more efficient and standardized. In 2014, central government fiscal funds for agricultural machinery purchase subsidies reached 23.75 billion yuan, an increase of 2 billion yuan year-on-year. The Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Finance further advanced reform and innovation of the subsidy system, comprehensively implementing “full-price machine purchase, fixed-quota subsidy, county-level settlement, and direct subsidy to card,” with 21 provinces choosing certain urgently needed machinery to implement open subsidies. Further streamlining administration and delegating power, simplifying procedures, and carrying out pilot market-oriented reform of subsidized products. Supervision of subsidy implementation was strengthened, policy information disclosure was vigorously promoted, and violations of regulations and discipline were cracked down on heavily. This year, farmers nationwide benefiting from agricultural machinery purchase subsidies are expected to exceed 4 million, with more than 5.4 million units/sets of subsidized agricultural machinery (implements).

The total amount of agricultural machinery and equipment grew steadily, and the equipment structure continued to be optimized. In 2014, the total power of agricultural machinery nationwide is expected to reach 1.076 billion kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of 3.57%. The trend toward larger and more matched tractors is obvious; the inventory of large and medium-sized tractors is expected to reach 5.72 million units, a year-on-year increase of 8.6%, while the inventory of small tractors increased by only 0.6% year-on-year. Rice transplanters and corn combine harvesters, which are urgently needed for grain production, maintained high-speed growth, with inventories expected to reach 665,000 units and 343,000 units respectively, a year-on-year increase of 9.7% and 20.1% respectively.

The level of mechanization in grain production continued to improve, and mechanization in key weak links such as corn machine harvesting was accelerated. New types of socialized service organizations such as agricultural machinery cooperatives were cultivated and strengthened, mechanized production during important farming seasons was carefully organized and orderly dispatched, and order-based operations and one-stop service models for cultivation, planting and harvesting were vigorously promoted. Supply and demand for machinery and tools for spring plowing, the “three summer” period, and the “three autumn” period were balanced. During the “three summer” period, the nationwide wheat harvest basically ended 4-5 days earlier than the same period last year, seizing farming time for autumn grain production. Nationwide mechanized rice planting and harvesting levels exceeded 38% and 81% respectively, among which the machine harvesting rate of early rice was 74.8%, an increase of nearly 5 percentage points year-on-year. Through measures such as strengthening policy guidance, expanding demonstration guidance, and improving technical services, corn harvest mechanization was vigorously promoted. The area of corn machine harvesting nationwide increased by 45 million mu, and the machine harvesting level exceeded 56%.

The promotion area of new agricultural mechanization technologies continued to increase, and mechanical deep loosening operations achieved remarkable results. The integration of agricultural machinery and agronomy was solidly advanced, key technology demonstration plots for mechanized production were laid out nationwide, technical guidance opinions for mechanized production of major crops were promoted and implemented, a major action for agricultural mechanization education and training was carried out, and the integrated matching of crop varieties, cultivation techniques, and equipment technologies suitable for mechanization was promoted. The promotion area of new agricultural mechanization technologies such as precision sowing, rapeseed machine harvesting, cotton machine sowing and machine harvesting, conservation tillage, and efficient plant protection increased by 120 million mu. Agricultural machinery departments at all levels strengthened policy guidance, technical guidance, and task supervision for deep loosening operations, seized the two key periods before spring sowing and after autumn harvest, and actively organized high-horsepower tractors and matched deep loosening machinery to be put into deep loosening and land preparation operations. The cumulative operation area for the whole year reached 150 million mu, exceeding the target task of 100 million mu proposed in the “Government Work Report,” further consolidating the foundation for increased grain production.

Create safe agricultural machinery and ensure safe production. Nationwide activities for agricultural machinery safety supervision “serving the people” were organized and carried out, innovating mechanisms, changing work styles, and facilitating and benefiting the people. Safety production responsibilities were implemented in accordance with the law, safety inspections were strengthened, and the management of hidden accident hazards was vigorously addressed, creating “safe agricultural machinery.” From January to November, the number of deaths, number of injuries, and direct economic losses from agricultural machinery accidents nationwide decreased by 27.7%, 2.2%, and 15.9% respectively year-on-year, and the agricultural machinery safety production situation continued to be stable and improving.