China's northeastern provinces, Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning,
are expected to play a bigger role in grain production, according
to local scientists working on a government program on grain
security.
The scientists, from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, have set up
five field labs in the provinces, trying to find ways to ensure
grain production under different geographic and climatic
conditions.
In
these field labs, which cover a total of over 467 hectares, the
experts have developed 17 key techniques, bred 50 good species of
grain, and trained more than 400,000 local farmers into
technicians.
In
related developments, local governments in the northeastern
provinces are taking substantial steps to stabilize grain
production.
To
stabilize grain production in the northeast is of great importance
to China, a country with almost 1.3 billion population, according
to local government officials. Northeast China provinces are an
important base of the country's commodity grain. The region with
only four percent of the country's arable land produces one tenth
of the national commodity grain.
Meanwhile, local governments are working hard to help local farmers
increase their income.
Some local economists observed that local farmers will be
encouraged to grow more grain because of the increasing market
demands, government's favorable policies, and the application of
new farming techniques.
(Xinhua 05/13/2001)