Jinan Times APP:

Heilongjiang is located in one of the world's three major black soil belts, is known for its famous "Great Northern Wilderness" and is a major agricultural and grain-producing province. How does Heilongjiang plan to make new contributions to ensure China's food security and act as a solid foundation for achieving this purpose? Thank you.

Liang Huiling:

Thank you for your question. I will answer this question. The focus of our work is in four aspects.

First, we will improve the comprehensive production capacity of grain. We will implement the plan to increase grain production by 10 million tons, focusing on the integrated utilization of fertile farmland, high-quality seeds and machinery, and useful measures and mechanisms. We will systematically integrate policies, engineering and agricultural measures to stabilize the sown area of grain and focus on increasing per unit yield in large area. By 2026, the comprehensive grain production capacity in the province will reach 180 billion jin (90 billion kilograms).

Second, we will strengthen the protection and utilization of black soil. In terms of arable land, black soil is extremely scarce and invaluable. We will adhere to four specific approaches, increasing efforts to protect black soil, and ensuring that its area does not decrease and that its quality improves. First, we will strengthen engineering measures to prioritize the construction of high-standard farmland on black soil. Second, we will reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, return plant stalks to fields, apply organic fertilizer, and substitute with biological agents, with the aim to increase organic matter content of soil. Third, we will highlight technological empowerment, relying on biotechnology and digital technology to improve the management and utilization of black soil. Fourth, we will change backward production methods, promote conservation tillage across large areas, and strictly crack down on unauthorized occupation and destruction of farmland, so as to achieve sustainable utilization of black soil.

Third, we will empower agriculture with science and technology. We give greater prominence to the development of agricultural sci-tech, with our contribution rate of agricultural technological progress ranking among the top in the country. We will vigorously implement the revitalization of the seed industry, establish national bases for quality soybean seed breeding and japonica rice seed production, and strengthen and expand the core of the seed industry. We will build a national pioneering area for large-scale, high-powered, high-end and intelligent agricultural machinery and equipment, accelerate the upgrading and replacement of agricultural machinery, and be the first to achieve the modernization of agricultural material and equipment. Supported by the national key laboratory for smart farming technologies and systems, we will expand the application scenarios of large-scale smart agriculture, and aim to establish 20 unmanned smart farms, each covering an area of 10,000 mu, by 2025.

Fourth, we will create a pioneering region in adopting an all-encompassing approach to food. Leveraging our advantageous location in the world's prime livestock belt, we will vigorously develop modern animal husbandry. We will establish the largest high-end infant formula production base in the country, with the aim of creating a crucial strategic guarantee base for meat, eggs and dairy products at the national level. Additionally, we will harness the advantages of undergrowth resources to promote the recognition of the "nine delicacies and 18 products," such as pine nuts, black fungus and Lonicera edulis fruit, thereby creating a supply hub for eco-friendly forest food products. Moreover, we will capitalize on the province's advantages in rivers and lakes by expanding the supply of premium and high-quality fish, including 26 species of freshwater fish, with the aim of establishing a base for the supply of high-quality cold-water fish. Thank you.