China's grain producer tapping into future of farming

HARBIN -- In a farm owned by China's leading agricultural conglomerate, Beidahuang Group, digital sentinels stand watch over rice fields beneath the scorching sun. These advanced monitors oversee weather and soil conditions, transmitting real-time data back to a central farming control center.

The Youyi Farm, the country's first large-scale mechanized state-owned farm established in 1954 in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, is still a pilot of modern farming.

A smart "neural network" to test its modernization has covered 12,667 hectares of fields in the farm, which boasts 126,667 hectares of cultivated land. The network is connected with more than 500 sets of Internet of Things (iot) devices to replace human labor for agricultural production, said Qu Hui, director of the science and technology information center of the farm.

In addition to the field devices, drones generate three-dimensional maps of crop growth through aerial photography every day. There are also 120 smart irrigation switch valves connected to water level gauges, enabling automated irrigation. These high-tech applications ensure the agricultural production carried out with more precision and much higher efficiency, said Qu.

As the top grain-producing province in China, Heilongjiang boasts large swathes of black soil farmlands and paddy fields, providing ideal conditions for grain production. By integrating information technology and artificial intelligence throughout the entire agricultural production and sales chain, Heilongjiang is enhancing agricultural productivity and significantly increasing its yields.

Data shows that the contribution rate of science and technology in the growth rate of total agricultural output value in Heilongjiang has exceeded 70 percent, ranking among the top in the country. The mechanization rate in crop cultivation, planting and harvesting has exceeded 99 percent, ranking first in the country.

Tech firm Elite China, founded in Heilongjiang's capital of Harbin in 2014, has become a leading driver bolstering the province's smart agricultural development.

Hu Bo, the company's technical director, said currently, the company's core product is a smart system empowered with dynamic maps that provide customized fertilization solutions with high precision during crop growth, akin to performing a "CT scan" for crops.

Gao Wenhui, general manager of the company, introduced that the company has established close ties with institutes including the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Harbin Engineering University to accelerate the application of their new scientific and technological achievements in the agricultural sector.

Heilongjiang's grain output exceeded 80 billion kg for the first time last year, accounting for 11.33 percent of the country's total and sustaining its role as China's top grain producer for 15 years in a row.

The progress of modern farming has not only helped Heilongjiang enhance its grain output but also improve the quality.

At the Seventh China Grain Trade Conference held earlier in July, Heilongjiang showcased its "Black Soil Excellent Products" series with more than 70 exhibitors in the province bringing more than 500 kinds of high-quality grain and oil products, ranging from rice, flour to soybean oil.

Ren Guanyu, chairman of Heilongjiang Agricultural Investment Food Group Co Ltd, one of the exhibitors, said the series as Heilongjiang's recommended specialty just entered the first-tier city of Beijing. These high-end farm produce are given with added values such as digital origin tracing and international quality certification to draw consumers' attention.