Reviving the rich black farmlands of the north
Print Edition
Yang Lai, who owns 18 hectares of paddy fields in northeastern China鈥檚 major grain-growing province Heilongjiang, left his land unsown for a whole year in 2018 to restore its fertility.
Yang鈥檚 year-long break as a farmer was encouraged and supported by a three-year fallow program introduced by Heilongjiang Province last year, a systematic move by the province driven by nationwide policy.
Heilongjiang Province, known for its fertile black soil, saw total grain output of 75.05 billion kilograms in 2018, accounting for over 10 percent of the country鈥檚 total grain output, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
Although the province has yielded years of good harvests, Heilongjiang faces difficulties in sustainable development due to the overuse of fertilizers, frequent droughts and water shortages.
鈥淧eople need to take a break after they get tired, and so does the land,鈥 said Yang, adding that the province doled out subsidies to farmers like him who were not actually farming last year.
Yang received over 80,000 yuan (US$11,823) in subsidies for his 18 hectares of fallow rice fields.
Yang said his paddy fields yield in 2017 was far below the average as his land had lost fertility over the years as a result of overusing fertilizers.
鈥淩ice fallows not only improve the productivity of my land, making it possible to grow organic food after three years, but also allow surplus labor at my home to start our own businesses to increase income,鈥 Yang said.
Yang鈥檚 family had a total income of 140,000 yuan in 2018, of which nearly 60,000 yuan was earned by doing business.
Their sales revenue from crops only accounted for 28 percent.
In Heilongjiang, more farmers, enterprises and local governments have joined the campaign for sustainable agricultural development in which quality outweighs quantity.
The province will continue its efforts in securing food production capacity and enhancing its green food production.
In addition to fallow rice fields, nitrogen, phosphorous and potash fertilizers, crop rotation and river irrigation have also been gaining popularity to boost crops, driven by an increasing awareness of the crucial need for balanced fertilization.
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