Ministry of Agriculture Urgent Notice Requires Unremitting Efforts in Agricultural Science

This network news  Since July, drought conditions north of the Yangtze River have continued to develop. Leading comrades of the Central Committee have made a series of important instructions on the current drought relief work, requiring full efforts to grasp the current drought relief work and strive to fight the drought and ensure a bumper harvest. On August 7, the Ministry of Agriculture issued an urgent notice requiring earnest implementation of the important instructions of the leading comrades of the Central Committee and the spirit of the State Council meeting, unremittingly doing a good job in scientific agricultural drought relief work, further adopting effective measures, and striving to win a bumper autumn grain harvest. The notice requires:

First, attach great importance to the current drought relief work. In the face of relatively severe drought conditions in some parts of the north, all localities responded promptly, forcefully and effectively, and agricultural drought relief achieved phased results. It is expected that in early August, rainfall in most of the drought-stricken areas will be below normal, and the drought conditions will continue to develop. At present, autumn grain crops are in a critical period of yield formation. Agricultural departments at all levels must earnestly implement the spirit of the important instructions of the central leadership, truly unify their thinking and actions with the decisions and arrangements of the central authorities, fully recognize the severity and possible persistence of the current drought, further enhance their sense of responsibility and urgency in doing a good job in agricultural drought relief, and resolutely ensure that as long as the drought is not relieved for a single day, drought relief will not stop for a single day, persistently doing a good job in agricultural drought relief work and making every effort to secure a good autumn grain harvest.

Second, remain unwavering in the goal of fighting the drought to secure a bumper harvest. Since the drought appeared, the central authorities have increased guidance and support for the drought-stricken areas. Party committees and governments in the affected areas have adopted various measures to combat the summer drought, promote the autumn grain harvest, and ensure drinking water for the people, and the drought relief work has been highly effective. Overall, the current national drought situation is generally lighter than in normal years, mainly severe in certain regions, with a relatively large impact on autumn grain output in severely drought-stricken areas, but it will not have an overall impact. All localities must remain unwavering in the goal of fighting the drought to secure a bumper harvest, strengthen guidance, persist in drought relief, carry out scientific drought relief, and effectively implement all disaster-relief measures, striving to ensure that severely drought-stricken areas reduce production less, lightly drought-stricken areas do not reduce production, and non-drought areas can increase production.

⟦NL> Third, persistently advance scientific agricultural drought relief. Strengthen communication and contact with meteorological, water conservancy and other departments, and closely monitor the development trends of the drought. Carry out well the “Strengthen Services, Scientifically Combat Disasters, and Secure a Bumper Autumn Grain Harvest Action”, and organize experts to formulate and improve technical guidance opinions on drought relief. On August 7, the Ministry of Agriculture once again dispatched 6 working groups and expert groups led by department-level officials to Henan, Shaanxi, Hebei, Hubei, Liaoning, Heilongjiang and other provinces to guide scientific drought relief and autumn grain production. Drought-stricken areas should continue to organize government cadres and agricultural technicians to go deep into the affected areas to carry out work supervision and technical services. For severely affected areas, they should adopt stationing at designated points and taking responsibility for designated areas, implement dedicated personnel for guidance and dedicated personnel for responsibility, and guide farmers to implement scientific drought relief measures according to local conditions, timing, soil moisture and crop seedlings. Do a good job in the adjustment and transportation of agricultural production and disaster relief materials such as seeds, fertilizers and diesel, guide affected farmers to promptly replant short-growth-period crops, and effectively reduce drought disaster losses.

Fourth, prepare early for autumn and winter drought relief. Closely monitor drought conditions and soil moisture in severely drought-stricken areas and surrounding areas, organize experts to study and formulate targeted technical routes for autumn and winter planting, adjust and transport drought-tolerant wheat varieties early, vigorously carry out deep soil loosening and deep plowing in winter wheat areas, and promote drought relief to ensure autumn and winter planting. Prepare early for the storage of overwintering forage for the livestock industry in drought-stricken areas of the northwest, and increase efforts in straw collection and storage. Strengthen market monitoring, analyze the impact of drought on rising agricultural production costs and declining farmers' incomes, and study and propose policy measures to stabilize grain-growing income and promote increases in farmers' incomes.