High-tech harvest gets into full swing in Taizhou city

Farmers in Taizhou city are currently bringing in a bumper wheat harvest, with technology boosting yields and productivity. [Photo/WeChat ID: tzfabu]

As the current summer harvest reaches its peak, Taizhou city in East China's Jiangsu province is abuzz with frenetic activity as farmers rush to bring in a bumper crop – using technology like never before to boost yields and improve productivity.

This year, the city has 2.56 million mu (about 170,667 hectares) of wheat, with an expected yield of 1.02 million metric tons. Currently, 95.61 percent of the wheat has been harvested, covering 2.45 million mu.

What's more, advanced equipment and innovative methods are said to be significantly boosting efficiency.

Smart harvesters at work

These days mechanized farm machinery is tirelessly at work in the fields. [Photo/WeChat ID: tzfabu]

In the Fengqi Lake Farm in the Taizhou Medical High-tech Zone – also known as Gaogang district of Taizhou – multiple harvesters have been working since June 1 to harvest over 1,600 mu of wheat.

Meanwhile, in Xifeng village – in Gangyang town in Hailing district – intelligent harvesters equipped with Beidou navigation systems are performing unmanned harvesting, threshing, cleaning and straw crushing, even working through the night.

At Jingxian Farm in Jiangyan district, advanced machinery and digital tools are monitoring crop growth and ensuring efficient operations.

To support the harvest, the municipal agriculture and rural affairs bureau has deployed 7,820 sets of agricultural machinery and 2,776 grain dryers. Over the next few days, the peak period for grain storage will arrive, with 1.19 million tons of storage capacity ready to meet local the needs of farmers.

Innovative cooperation models ensure profits of farmers

An aerial view of Louzhuang town in Jiangyan district. [Photo/WeChat ID: tzfabu]

Aside from State-owned enterprises purchasing grain, family farms are these days adopting new cooperative business models to increase their profits.

For instance, Zhou Yuling, a major grower in Louzhuang town in Jiangyan district, has seen her wheat yield increase by 10 percent per mu this year.

After harvesting and drying, her wheat is directly sent to seed companies, facilitated by village agreements with these concerns. This model is said to ensure stable sales and higher prices, increasing farmers' profits by 10 percent.

"New quality productive forces encompass both advanced agricultural technology and innovative cooperation models," said Zhang Yaming, director of the grain and material reserve division of the municipal development and reform commission.

The resulting stability has kept wheat prices steady at 2.4-2.5 yuan per kilogram, slightly above the set minimum purchase price. The orderly harvest process is widely viewed as reflecting a healthy and well-regulated market.