Sichuan’s Xuanhan Boosts Grain Yield and Rural Vitality via Smart Farming and Brand Upgrading

Xuanhan County in Sichuan Province is advancing high-quality grain production through technological innovation, standardised cultivation and full mechanisation, driving steady growth in both grain planting area and farmer incomes. Anchored in provincial high-standard grain farm construction initiatives, the county adopts multi-pronged measures to cut harvest losses, upgrade traditional agricultural brands and improve farming efficiency, building a modernised grain production system.

The county maintains robust grain production scale amid orderly spring farming progress. Current agricultural data shows Xuanhan has completed harvesting for 435,000 mu of rapeseed and 19,000 mu of wheat. The planted area reaches 368,000 mu for rice and 366,000 mu for corn, laying a solid foundation for stable annual grain output.

Innovative two-stage harvesting technology for rapeseed effectively solves longstanding industrial pain points. As rapeseed features uneven maturity, traditional one-off harvesting causes substantial grain loss or inferior oil quality. The improved mechanism conducts mowing and laying when 70 to 80 percent of pods ripen, allowing nutrient post-ripening via natural field drying before mechanical picking and threshing. The method lowers harvest loss rates to between 8 and 10 percent, raising per mu rapeseed yield by over 15 kilograms and generating an average income increase of 130 yuan per mu for local farmers. Full regional promotion is set to deliver over 63 million yuan in annual rural income growth across 488,000 mu of rapeseed fields.

The upgraded harvesting model also optimises farming schedules. It finishes rapeseed collection one week earlier than conventional methods, reserving sufficient time for subsequent rice and corn planting. The county’s land multiple cropping index has risen to 165 percent, enabling efficient grain rotation and stable high-yield farmland output.

Xuanhan is driving the brand transformation of its century-old tribute rice industry. Renowned as a premium rice variety with a history dating back to the Tang Dynasty, local Taohua Rice boasts superior taste nurtured by selenium-rich soil and favourable climatic conditions. Scattered and unstandardised planting in the past led to inconsistent quality and weak market competitiveness.

The county now promotes standardised cultivation with unified improved rice seed varieties across core producing villages. Standard demonstration fields are built in partnership with provincial agricultural research institutions to regulate planting procedures. Local authorities will cultivate leading agricultural enterprises, extend intensive processing industrial chains and integrate agricultural tourism formats. A professional rice evaluation event will be held in October to enhance brand influence and build a nationally competitive high-end rice brand.

Large-scale mechanisation and high-standard farmland renovation underpin efficient agricultural development. Xuanhan has completed 767,500 mu of upgraded farmland and built 12,600 kilometres of farming roads, lifting the mechanisation adaptation coverage rate to 76.8 percent. Fragmented small plots are transformed into contiguous large fields, fully accommodating modern mechanical operations.

Over 200 rice transplanters have been deployed across the county, with the mechanised transplanting rate expected to exceed 70 percent. The county has introduced 56 sets of newly developed agricultural machinery tailored to local terrains, covering sowing, tillage and transplanting procedures. Systematic technical training sessions are delivered across all townships to help farmers master equipment operation and maintenance.

Continuous optimisation of agricultural machinery allocation and technical service support will further guarantee high-efficiency spring farming progress, consolidate the county’s grain production capacity and sustain the steady development of modern characteristic agriculture.