The national autumn grain harvest has passed 70%

On October 20, a report from China National Radio highlighted the ongoing autumn grain harvest across the country. With over 70% of the autumn crops already collected, many major production areas are nearing completion, showing progress ahead of last year’s pace. Regions are expanding storage capacities and utilizing technology to ensure farmers have a smooth selling experience.

Looking regionally, the southwest and northwest areas have harvested nearly 90% of their autumn grains, while the Huang-Huai-Hai region has surpassed 80%. The northeastern provinces are at about 65% completion, and areas along the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and in Southern China have reached over 50%. According to Lv Xiutao, Deputy Director of the Crop Management Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, this year’s autumn harvest appears promising, with a notable increase in per-acre yield.

Lv stated, “The rise in yield is the primary contributor to the increased grain production this year, accounting for over 70% of the growth. Last year, we focused solely on corn; this year, we’ve expanded our initiatives to include both corn and soybeans.”

In Wucheng County, Dezhou City, Shandong Province, farmer Ma Ronggui is busy harvesting corn with the help of agricultural machinery. The local innovation, known as the “Grain Merchant System,” provides farmers with comprehensive services from planting to harvesting.

Ma shared, “They come with equipment and people; I just ride my bike to the field, and they handle the harvesting directly.”

The Grain Merchant System also enhances services like storage, management, exchange, and credit offerings, allowing farmers to store their grains in a manner akin to banking, with options for flexible, fixed-term, or investment-type storage.

Zhang Jiming, Deputy General Manager of a local Grain Merchant System, explained, “Our main clientele includes those who frequently work away and older individuals who may not have the capacity to farm. We offer specialized services to meet their needs.”

Meanwhile, market supervision departments in Jiangsu have been rigorously checking the measuring devices used by grain purchasing enterprises. In a major state-owned grain depot in Changzhou, technicians from the Changzhou Institute for Inspection and Testing brought in large weights and precision instruments for verification.

Engineer Wang Jiangtao noted, “We systematically place the weights in the designated areas for testing, comparing the data from the weighing room’s instruments with the number of weights outside to ensure fairness and accuracy.”

As the autumn harvest progresses steadily, preparations for winter planting are also underway. Currently, 27.5% of winter wheat has been sown nationwide, with over 75% completed in the northwest and over 20% in the Huang-Huai-Hai region. Additionally, 42.8% of winter rapeseed has been planted, with more than 45% in the middle and lower Yangtze River area and over 30% in the southwest.