As the harvest season approaches its conclusion, Yingcheng in Hubei Province witnesses the bustling activity of harvesters across 390,000 acres of glutinous rice. In Mayan Village, Yanghe Town, the atmosphere is alive with workers efficiently cutting, threshing, and returning crushed straw to the fields in one fluid motion. “We’re anticipating a yield of around 1,300 pounds per acre, which translates to a net income of approximately 500 yuan per acre,” shares Wu Qiangguo, head of a family farm that has cultivated 600 acres of glutinous rice.
Yingcheng’s agricultural success can be attributed to significant advancements in land leveling, irrigation infrastructure, and transportation systems, resulting in the establishment of 677,500 acres of high-standard farmland. This has not only stabilized the agricultural foundation but also reinforced the region’s rural development.
With these elevated farming standards, Yingcheng is transitioning from smallholder farming to large-scale agricultural operations. The mechanization rate for key crops, including glutinous rice, has surged to 83.6%. This shift is enhancing operational scale, crop quality, and profitability.
Yingcheng epitomizes Hubei’s goal of developing a higher standard “Jingchu Granary.” In the Qianxiang Rice Demonstration Zone in Mashan Town, Jingzhou District, farmers are actively harvesting high-quality rice varieties, essential for Hubei’s premium rice brand, Jianghan Rice. Villager Lou Bing from Manan Village expresses optimism, stating, “We can boost our income by 300 to 400 yuan per acre, and I aim to expand my planting area next year.”
This increase in production and income stems from the successful breeding of new rice varieties and the adoption of a “contract farming” model. “We’ve developed superior rice varieties suitable for Hubei through modern molecular breeding and anther culture techniques,” explains Guo Ying, director of the Grain Crop Research Institute at the Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Since 2022, the region has introduced 15 new crop varieties that have received national approval, while over 100 million yuan has been invested by the provincial government to establish a medium-term gene bank for both crop and animal genetic resources, expected to be completed this year.
At the Qiang Ni Ba lotus root planting base in Honghu City, “new farmer” Wang Wenjuan begins her day early, live streaming the journey from harvesting to shipping. These fresh lotus roots are delivered to diners across the country within just two days. Over the past five years, “Honghu Lotus Root” has grown from a new entry to a recognized brand. Recently, it has achieved provincial-level public brand status, with an ambitious target of reaching an annual output value of 10 billion yuan next year.
Hubei has rolled out a series of initiatives, including “Ten Measures for Shrimp,” “Seven Measures for Eels,” “Ten Measures for Tea,” and “Nine Measures for Rice,” to foster regional public brands like Qianjiang Shrimp, Xiantao Eel, Chutian Tea, and Jianghan Rice. The total output value for Qianjiang Shrimp has soared to 75 billion yuan, with Xiantao Eel making up nearly half of the national supply. An increasing number of agricultural brands from Jingchu are making significant strides in their growth.
According to the Hubei Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, as of October 7, the province has harvested 80% of its autumn grain, with mid-season rice collection exceeding 24 million acres.
