Over the past two months,
Wang Fahong, a member of
the team of wheat experts at
the Ministry of Agriculture and
Rural Affairs, who works at the
Shandong Academy of Agricul-
tural Sciences, has visited most
wheat production areas in the
province to examine seedlings
and soil conditions.
Agricultural cooperatives and
owners of large farms are using
machines and smart equip-
ment throughout the entirewheat production process,
which has made farm work
more efficient, Wang said.
The cooperative run by Xue
in Mazhuang has 18 workers,
who operate on 215 acres of
arable land used to grow wheat
and corn.
“About 98% of the work re-
lated to wheat production, from
plowing to harvesting, is done
by machines,” said Xue, add-
ing that such automation has
increased yield substantially.Additional information is on file with the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.
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A drone is used to spread pesticide on fields in Hushan town, Rongcheng of
Shandong province. LI XINJUN / FOR CHINA DAILY
and 10,000 rural tourism staff
will be developed over the next
five years, the company said.
The June legislation has also
made the Chinese Farmers’
Harvest Festival a statutory
holiday on the day of the autumn
equinox, which usually falls in
September, in an attempt to
vitalize rural culture.
Modern agricultural exhibi-
tions and rural food appreciation
events are expected to draw
many visitors, experts say.
The lively and popular activi-
ties will stimulate the passion of
the farmers and residents, says
Ma Youxiang, vice-minister of the
agriculture and rural affairs.
Last year’s celebrations
covered major events along the
Yangtze River Economic Belt on
Sept. 23, and integrated farming
culture, as well as displaying
cultural resources with local and
ethnic characteristics.
Cultural activities such
as farmers’ concerts, rural
photography, calligraphy and
painting were in place.
In 2019, the rural tourism sec-
tor saw 3.3 billion traveler visits,
with operating revenue exceed-
ing 850 billion yuan, according
to the Ministry of Agriculture and
Rural Affairs.
In the first six months of last
year, the number of tourists to
Beijing’s rural areas recovered to
66.1% of that of the same period
in 2019, and business revenue
has recovered to some 90%, ac-cording to the local authority.
At a national promotion
meeting for high-quality rural
industry development by the
ministry in March last year, it was
announced that the country will
strive to achieve more than 4
billion travel visits to rural villages
by 2025, with operating revenue
breaking 1.2 trillion yuan. It is
expected to benefit more than 15
million people.
Such promises have seen
other tour players make inroads
in rural tourism development.
The culture and tourism
conglomerate Overseas Chinese
Town Group has deepened
strategic cooperation with rural
areas in Guizhou, Sichuan and
Gansu provinces to improve local
folk customs and the local envi-
ronment, as well as tap into local
culture and tourism resources.
The OCT Group has devel-
oped about 30 distinctive rural
projects across the country.
Those scenic spots have
been receiving 40 million tour-
ist visits annually on average,
lifting 160,000 people out ofpoverty, the OCT Group said.
Since 2016, at Zhongliao
village in Hainan, local ethnic Li
elements have been retained
as part of the construction of a
pastoral getaway and art perfor-
mance venue by the group.
“Our living environment has
improved, and tourism has been
all the rage in the village,” said Su
Yingnuan, who lives in Zhongliao.
“We can enjoy employment at
our doorsteps and an increase in
income, so we’re all happy.”
In Xiaopuxi village, Xishuang-
banna Dai autonomous
prefecture in Yunnan, a health
preservation facility featuring
tea tours has drawn travelers
from far and wide. The village is
home to the Jino ethnic group.
The development by OCT
Group has given the previously
poor village a facelift, said Bai
Chunguo, a village official.
“The tea trees on the
mountain and Jino culture have
brought us development op-
portunities. Villagers can receive
friends from all over the world
without leaving the village.”Above: A field of rapeseed flowers is cultivated in the pattern of a gourd in
Nankeng village, Huangshan, Anhui province. SHI YALEI / FOR CHINA DAILY
Left: Shanggantang village in Yongzhou, Hunan province, draws visitors with its
ancient buildings nestled in the hills. JIANG KEQING / FOR CHINA DAILY