China News Service, Wenzhou, February 18 (Zhou Jian, Dai Zhisheng, Fang Kongde) "This wheat is growing really well." Just after the Spring Festival, Xiang Baorong, a major grain farmer in Ruian, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, who couldn't stay at home, was wandering around the farmland again. Take a look at the growth of more than 1,900 acres of wheat. Following his footsteps, you can see that the wheat fields are spread on the ground like a green carpet, and the bunches of wheat ears reveal the vitality of the New Year.
Planting wheat in the "winter idle fields" is one of Xiang Baorong's measures to increase his income in recent years. In 2024, he will plant more than 1,000 acres of wheat than last year. "Last year, the price of wheat reached 1.43 yuan per catty, and the government also provides grain planting subsidies, so it is more cost-effective to plant wheat after the late rice harvest." He said that well-planted farmland can yield about 500 catties of wheat per acre. Early rice is planted after the wheat is harvested in early May. In one year, one acre of land can harvest three crops.
Xiang Baorong checks the growth of wheat. Photo courtesy of Fang Kongde
Behind Xiang Baorong's years of experience in growing grains. It is reported that Xiang Baorong, 63, has been engaged in grain cultivation for 50 years. From the first few acres of farmland to thousands of acres now, his "farming road" can give a glimpse of the "bitterness and sweetness" of a generation of farmers, as well as the development process of China's "agriculture, rural areas and farmers" work.
"Farming was very difficult in the 1980s and 1990s. There were few agricultural machines at that time, and we basically relied on manual transplanting and harvesting of rice." Xiang Baorong recalled that in 1996, he used the first grain harvester and started rice production. The road to mechanized agricultural operations, and as the contracted farmland area continues to increase, his grain harvesters have also undergone five or six updates.
In 2008, Xiang Baorong planted more than 3,000 acres of farmland and employed more than 60 workers on a long-term basis. "At three o'clock in the morning every day, my family and I would get up and make breakfast for everyone. At the busiest time, there were more than 350 workers, and the farm was like a labor-intensive enterprise." He said that now with the large number of agricultural machinery being put into use , the number of long-term workers employed on the farm has been reduced to more than 10 people. At the busiest time, only about 100 people can successfully complete three to four thousand acres of rice production.
"Farming now relies on machinery. We don't have to face the loess and turn our back to the sky. It's much easier." In recent years, Xiang Baorong has invested 3 to 4 million yuan in agricultural machinery and owns 4 harvesters and 5 rice transplanters. , more than 10 farming machinery, 17 dryers, and 4 plant protection drones. The entire process of rice production, from breeding, transplanting and plant protection to harvesting, drying and storage, is mechanized.
In addition to the changes in the labor force, what Xiang Baorong feels most deeply are the changes brought about by policies. In 2002, due to low farming efficiency, the income from one acre of land was less than 200 yuan. Many farmers went to the city to work and paid Xiang Baorong to farm the land. After Xiang Baorong paid the agricultural tax for them, he could plant farmland for free.
In January 2003, Ruian completely abolished agricultural taxes and became the first county-level city in the country to "eat crabs" in agricultural tax reform. In 2005, policies to benefit farmers such as direct grain subsidies, subsidies for improved seeds, and agricultural machinery subsidies followed one after another. In addition, farmland water conservancy, roads and other facilities were continuously improved, and the level of agricultural mechanization continued to improve. Farming took on a new look.
Nowadays, many farmers are rushing to rent farmland, and the farmland contract transfer has also shifted from the "buyer's market" to the "seller's market". The rent has "rising," reaching more than 500 yuan per mu. The annual "rental war" has also become a major grain grower. What matters most to them.
"More than 3,000 acres of farmland have been secured this year, and more than 2 million yuan of rent was paid out at the end of last year. It is expected that some more farmland will be secured later." With the "basic market" in hand, Xiang Baorong felt much more relaxed. It is understood that he also grows rice in some places outside Ruian City. For example, this year he transferred more than 1,000 acres of land in Lucheng, Wenzhou.
At the beginning of the new year, in addition to taking good care of the wheat, Xiang Baorong also prepared for spring plowing early, planning to start breeding on March 3. "After the Spring Festival, I started to get busy again. I feel happy and comfortable to be able to work in the fields." He said with a smile. (over)