Lingling, Hunan optimizes agricultural planting structure to increase grain production

As harvest season sweeps through the landscape, the autumn breeze brings a sense of abundance to Yongzhou, Hunan. We visited Post Pavilion Town, located in the Lingling District, where a stunning scene of plenty is unfolding.

Currently, the late rice in the town’s vast double-cropping rice demonstration area is maturing, creating waves of golden grains swaying in the breeze. The air is filled with the sweet scent of rice as farmers hustle in the fields, cutting, threshing, and storing the harvest. “This year, the rainfall has been plentiful, and both the late rice and the ratoon rice are growing really well,” says Li Feilong, the party branch secretary of Lijiqiao Village.

In Tongziping and Xiaojiajian Villages, local leaders are actively recruiting major farming households, managing over 500 acres of land. They’re exploring crop rotation methods like “early rice-corn-rapeseed” and “sweet potato-rapeseed,” which have not only improved land use but also provided job opportunities for neighboring farmers. Over 230 acres of sweet corn and more than 140 acres of sweet potatoes are now ready for harvest.

Post Pavilion Town has established itself as a significant agricultural hub within the Lingling District, receiving multiple accolades such as “Advanced Town for Grain Production in Yongzhou.” In recent years, the town has focused on stabilizing planting areas, increasing yields, and enhancing quality. They have optimized agricultural planting structures and promoted the production of high-quality, eco-friendly rice and specialized dry crops. By integrating standardization, scalability, and mechanization, they aim to boost grain output, enhance agricultural efficiency, and increase farmer income.

This year, Post Pavilion Town has set up 34 double-cropping rice demonstration sites covering over 200 acres, 34 autumn-winter rapeseed demonstration sites, three specialty dry crop bases, two vegetable cultivation bases, and one high-standard soybean and corn intercropping demonstration site over 200 acres. The forecast for the year’s grain crop sowing area is expected to reach 135,000 acres, with total grain production anticipated to surpass 59,000 tons.