Hanoi’s hi-tech farm expansion remains slow
Agricultural production in the capital city remains small-scale and outdated, despite successful land reform and investment in irrigation networks for many years, says the Nong Thon Ngay Nay (Countryside Today) newspaper.
The outdated production methods are due to slow application of modern technologies, and it has led to low economic values.
Land use certificates have been successfully granted, which is a prerequisite for farmers to expand production or contribute land as a capital contribution to investment projects.
However, the city’s agricultural production has not yet reaped high economic value because most of households still use traditional production methods.
Explaining the slow application of technology in agricultural production, Chairman of the Quoc Oai District People’s Committee, Nguyen Manh Quyen, told the paper that “at present the municipal authority fixed land areas for rice planting”.
“This is an obstacle for transitioning the land for other crops that require high technologies and bring higher economic values,” said Quyen.
However, in Quoc Oai District, some businesses have bought lands from residents to set up hi-tech farms and achieved some progresses, he said.
Still, though, businesses face the difficult fact that agricultural land prices rocket upward when locals hear about hi-tech farming projects, he said.
Analysing the situation, Dr. Dang Van Dong, director of the Vegetable and Fruit Institute, said “this is due to ineffective management and a lack of close co-operation among farmers, businesses, scientists and authorities”.
“So far, we haven’t mobilised sources from domestic private and foreign businesses to invest in hi-tech farming,” he said.
Chu Phu My, director of the Hanoi Agriculture and Rural Development Department, said in the context of fierce climate change and rapid urbanisation, farming is indispensable to surviving and competing in the international integration process.
The capital city set a goal that by 2020, hi-tech agricultural production value will account for 35 percent of the total agricultural value.
However, so far, the hi-tech farming area designated for 2016-2020 is still slow, according to review of the city’s steering committee of new rural development.
According to Ha Minh Hai, director of the Hanoi Finance Department, appropriate policies are considered a prerequisite for luring capital to hi-tech farming. Each local needs to review agricultural production plans to attract investors.
Source: VNA Date 2017-05-12
Australian red wine promotion in Qingdao
AAC- On May 10th, the South Australian government, in cooperation with Asian Agribusiness Consulting, organized a red wine promotion in Qingdao. During the event a seminar on the topic “South Australia -Qingdao Trade & investment” was held, highlighting the cooperation between the South Australia and China.
One of the highlights of the event was the celebration of the 170th anniversary of 1847, a renowned winery from Lyndoch, South Australia. To commemorate this milestone, a speech was held by Alexander Wang, owner of 1847.
During the event Michael Boddington, managing director of AAC, met with Anthony Grundel, Chief Wine Maker at 1847, and Justin Patrick Gilhooly.
At the tasting people could enjoy various types of wine by a large number of Australian wineries.
AAC 2017-05-11
Chinese rice trials promise solution to African food shortages
Large harvests of Chinese rice planted in Africa have raised hopes on the continent of greater grain yields to combat food shortages, a Chinese scientist has said.
"Trial plantings of quality Chinese crop varieties in Africa have shown promising results," Wang Qingfeng, director of the Sino-Africa Joint Research Center in Kenya, said at a news briefing in Wuhan, Hubei province, on Monday.
Wang, who is also deputy director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Wuhan Botanical Garden, said more than a dozen varieties have been planted in African countries, including Kenya. At least three suit the local soil and water conditions will be chosen for production, he said.
Hybrid rice planted in Kenya has yielded an average 6,000 to 7,500 kilograms per hectare, while the average yield of local rice is about 1,500 kg per hectare, he said.
China has helped African nations when their grain harvests have been affected by drought, but what the research center is doing represents a change to this aid strategy, Wang said.
The center, which was opened in September at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, focuses on biodiversity protection, remote resources sensing, microbiology, and the promotion of modern agricultural practices.
It covers 4,300 square meters and comprises a botanical garden, state-of-the-art laboratories, herbaria, greenhouses, administration offices, and conference and accommodation facilities.
The Chinese Academy of Sciences supports its management and has donated equipment worth more than $2.2 million.
Source: China Daily Date: 2017-05-11
Scottish salmon graces China dining tables
China has a fast-growing appetite for fresh and smoked salmon, but Scotland's fish farmers have been struggling to keep up with demand from the lucrative market.
Scotland is one of the world's major suppliers of farmed salmon, but the industry's growth was recently hampered by sea lice infestations that led to a drop in production. Sea lice are a parasite that latches onto fish, seriously affecting their growth.
Figures from the United Kingdom's HM Revenue and Customs showed the export volume of salmon to China fell from around 11 million kilograms in 2015 to 8 million kg last year, something the industry attributed to the sea lice outbreak. In 2014, some 13 million kg of the pink-fleshed fish were shipped to the world's second-largest economy.
Despite the fall in exports to China, the value of the industry remained high. In 2016, the value of salmon exports was around 52 million pounds ($67 million). In the previous year, it was 53 million pounds.
Beijing first allowed imports of Scottish salmon in 2011.
Scott Landsburgh, chief executive of the Scottish Salmon Producers Organization, said: "Sea lice are nothing new, they exist in the wild and climate change is contributing to the spread. The industry has invested tens of millions of pounds on research and development of new techniques and equipment.
"I'm confident we are on top of the issue and will be able to supply really high-quality, healthy fish to the Chinese market," Landsburgh added.
Landsburgh attributed the fall in exports entirely to the early harvest.
"China likes larger fish, around 7 kg, but there was an early harvest last year in order to provide healthy and high-quality salmon, which resulted in smaller fish. That is why exports to China dipped a bit in 2016."
But Landsburgh expects business to pick up this year and anticipates increased productivity in the years to come.
JD.com Inc, one of the largest e-commerce operators in China, said a majority of Chinese consumers are willing to buy fresh products online, and seafood products are among the most popular categories. Shrimp, fish and other seafood are quite well-received, especially those who come from the inland regions.
Du Ni, a 27-year-old office worker in Beijing, said: "I like salmon, it is really fresh and tasty. I sometimes buy imported salmon from supermarkets, and at other times eat it at restaurants."
Source: China Daily Date: 2017-05-11
Premier Li visits villagers in Yellow River beach areas in Henan
With rain in the sky, Premier Li Keqiang visited villagers in the Yellow River beach areas in Fengqiu county, Xinxiang city of Central China’s Henan province, on May 8.
In an area with insufficient infrastructure, Premier Li visited the homes of villagers and asked about their daily life and their agricultural production issues. The village has been listed for evacuation, and the Premier said he hoped they could move into new homes as soon as possible.
Premier Li also visited a household that had moved from the Yellow River beach areas, with local government’s help, to Fengqiu.
Premier Li talked with local officials, asking about the subsidies and cost of relocation.
The resettlement could bring some real benefits to residents who moved from the Yellow River beach areas, Premier Li said.
Source: Xinhua News Agency Date: 2017-05-09
Vice Minister Chen Xiaohua visits Sri Lanka
Vice Minister Chen Xiaohua headed a Chinese delegation to Sri Lanka on 2-6 May 2017. He held talks with officials of the Ministry of Plantation Industries, Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development of Sri Lanka respectively. They exchanged views on strengthening agricultural and fisheries cooperation, and reached extensive consensus.
In his meeting with Hon. Navin Dissanayake, Minister of Plantation Industries, Vice Minister Chen stated that China and Sri Lanka have maintained friendly relations and a long history of agricultural cooperation. In recent years, bilateral trade in tea and aquatic products has kept growing, and business investment in agriculture has been progressing gradually. To further tap cooperation potential, Vice Minister Chen proposed that the two sides strengthen cooperation in the following areas: firstly, increasing exchanges on agricultural policies for deepened understanding and smooth cooperation; secondly, strengthening cooperation in agricultural technology, particularly in drawing upon each other's strengths in tea varieties breeding, planting, processing and marketing; and thirdly, intensifying cooperation in agricultural trade and investment and creating platforms for cooperation between enterprises of the two countries.
Mr. Dissanayake extended a welcome to Vice Minister Chen and thanked China for its support and assistance in economic and social development of Sri Lanka. He agreed with Vice Minister Chen and expressed the aspiration to cooperate with China in research, personnel training, mutual recognition of testing results of tea laboratories and agricultural trade.
Hon. Wasantha Aluvihare, State Minister of Agriculture of Sri Lanka, welcomed the Chinese delegation and expressed his appreciation to China for its efforts in training Sri Lankan agricultural experts and conducting investment and technical cooperation projects in Sri Lanka. He hoped that the Chinese side could provide support to Sri Lanka in seed, hybrid rice technology, agricultural machinery and personnel training.
Vice Minister Chen noted that China and Sri Lanka both attach great importance to agricultural development and have accumulated rich experience. China is willing to strengthen agricultural technology cooperation with Sri Lanka, especially in hybrid rice, and facilitate technical exchanges between agricultural research institutes from the two countries and the establishment of agricultural demonstration park. China will encourage Chinese enterprises to conduct training on agricultural machinery maintenance and technologies to promote application and extension. China will also increase exchanges on agricultural policies with Sri Lanka and intensify training for Sri Lankan technical personnel.
In the meeting with Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera, Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development of Sri Lanka, Vice Minister Chen stated that given solid foundation of bilateral fisheries cooperation, China is willing to deepen cooperation by promoting training cooperation between fishery institutes and sending Chinese experts to Sri Lanka to guide local fishery production. In addition, Vice Minister Chen suggested that the two sides cooperate in fishing, processing and logistics of aquatic products, and facilitate investment cooperation between enterprises. Mr. Amaraweera thanked China for its long-standing support in fisheries, especially in freshwater aquaculture, and looked forward to furthering cooperation with China in this regard.
During his stay in Sri Lanka, Vice Minister Chen visited the Tea Board, Tea Research Institute and Coconut Research Institute of Sri Lanka, learned the latest agricultural development in Sri Lanka, and listened to comments and suggestions on strengthening cooperation.
Source:Information Office, MOA Date:m 2017-05-10
Li gets close look at China-made tractor
Premier Li Keqiang receives an introduction to the Zoomlion 230-horsepower tractor from the company's deputy director, Wang Jinfu, in Kaifeng, Henan province, on Monday. China previously depended on overseas technology for such products.
Premier Li Keqiang called on Monday for further efforts to drive agricultural modernization and manufacturing upgrades amid China's economic transformation.
Li, during his inspection tour in Central China's Henan province, visited an agricultural machinery manufacturing plant in Kaifeng and climbed aboard on a newly made tractor developed using domestic technology.
The premier had previously proposed developing high-powered tractors to achieve technological breakthrough.
Li also visited people living in a floodplain.
The tractor company recently designed and began making the farm tractor, which is powered by a 230-horsepower engine — a product that used to be dependent on overseas technology.
Wang Hongmei, the company's office director, said the tractors are eagerly awaited in Northeast China as well as the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, where large-scale farming and deep plowing are common.
Li, boarding the tractor and learning in detail about its operation from Wang Jinfu, deputy director of Zoomlion, stressed that such technology upgrades should be more widely applied to agriculture modernization.
With almost all control panels inside the operator's cab, Wang explained that the tractor can be controlled with only one hand.
The application of big data as well as an internet platform also is used by the company for product information collection, as it also developed an internet monitoring platform for all of its machinery products across China.
Breakdown in any area of a machine will be monitored by the internet platform terminal, while such information and data platform are also used for Zoomlion sales.
The company has seen a consecutive increase in sales from January to April this year.
Henan province, located alongside the lower reaches of the Yellow River, has long relied on agricultural production.
On Monday, Li paid visits to several households in Lizhuang township along the Yellow River floodplain area, where in villages scattered in low-lying areas suffer frequent flooding. Li urged the relocation of these villages. The township has 18 villages undergoing such conditions.
Source: China Daily Date: 2017-05-09
Nebraska serious about growing trade with China
In welcoming scores of Chinese and American business leaders to Omaha, Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts said that he believes the state's relationship with China will grow.
"In China, we see the middle classes are increasing tremendously," Ricketts said on Friday. "That presents opportunities for us to expand the relationship. In Nebraska, we think long term."
"That's actually one of the things that is very similar between the Nebraska culture and Chinese culture -- emphasis on long term. That's why I think the relationship with China will grow," he said.
The governor said that China is the state's second largest trade partner outside of North America and one of the fastest-growing: "Nebraska exported $1.3 billion of products last year to China," he said.
Elaborating on the state government’s effort to improve education, regulation and the tax system, Ricketts invited business leaders to consider investing in the state.
"We seek those Chinese companies who look to invest in Nebraska to help them to grow their business in the US, help them to leverage our regulatory and tax environment, our central location and the shared culture value," Ricketts said.
Compared to other states such as Texas or California, Chinese direct investment in Nebraska is relatively small. The notable Chinese investments include a $3 million investment in shipping and logistics by Easyway International of Xi'an, Shaanxi province, and a $25 million investment in Worldlawn Power Equipment by Jiangsu World Group from Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province.
To attract more business from China, Ricketts visited China twice since he took office in 2015, with the last trip in November 2016. Ricketts said that he took more than 70 businesspeople with him.
During the last trip, Ricketts and Shaanxi province's governor Hu Heping formalized Nebraska and Shaanxi province's relationship as sister states.
"Basically, we had investment summits in Shanghai and Xi'an. We tried to connect business leaders together to see where we can find those relationships and where to invest."
"We visited Jiangsu World Group. They make lawnmowers in Nebraska and farming equipment in China; it's a kind of a natural relationship there."
He also witnessed Nebraska's Preferred Popcorn extend its relationship with its Chinese partner Zhong Liang Tian Run Trading Inc to sell an additional 10 million pounds of Nebraska popcorn to China.
Nebraska is strong in agriculture, and Ricketts said that's where Nebraska and China can grow the relationship the most.
"That's why when we were in China last fall, we broke ground on a demonstration Nebraska farm in Yangling. The idea is to show what technology and processes we have in agriculture to Chinese farmers and see how they may be able to use that."
Ricketts said that Nebraska is the largest irrigable state in the US, and 80 percent of center pivot irrigation equipment is made in the state. "China might take advantage of that technology," he said.
Ricketts had taken his family to China for sightseeing before he became governor, and said his favorite city is Xi'an.
"China is a beautiful country with friendly people. I love history, and China has history more than anyplace else. I love going to Xi'an to see terracotta soldiers and the first Qin Dynasty. I am a history buff, and I love to learn what people did a long time ago," Ricketts said of his impression of China.
Source: China Daily Date: 2017-05-08
Wolfberry industry becomes Ningxia's major industry
The wolfberry industry, with a total annual output value of 13 billion yuan, has become a major industry in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, according to the latest data from the Ningxia Forestry Bureau.
By the end of 2016, wolfberry plantations occupied over 900,000 mu (60,000 hectares) in Ningxia, producing 93,000 tons of dried wolfberry and more than 40 deep-processed products such as beverage, seeding oil and health products.
With the brand effect, Ningxia has accelerated its wolfberry industry towards more export-oriented development.
Over 60 producers now export dried wolfberry and deep-processed products to over 50 countries and regions.
Their export volume exceeds 5,000 tons, taking up 60 percent of the nation's total, with a market share increasing by 15-20 percent annually.
Ningxia is located in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, with great sun light and heat resources ideal for growing quality wolfberry.
In recent years, Ningxia adheres to the modern agricultural development ideas and provides great support to the wolfberry industry which has been further enhanced
Source:Xinhua News Agency Date: 2017-05-05
China requires large banks to set up inclusive finance divisions in 2017
ChiChina's large commercial banks have been asked to set up inclusive finance departments to support small companies, agriculture, poverty relief and entrepreneurship before the end of 2017.
Large banks should become the backbone in the development of inclusive finance, according to a statement following a State Council executive meeting presided over by Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday.
Their lending to small and micro enterprises should rise no slower than growth in all loans, the statement said, adding that the number of small and micro borrowers in a year should not be lower than the same period of the previous year.
Banks should tolerate a reasonably higher non-performing loan ratio for lending to small and micro enterprises, agriculture and poverty alleviation, according to the statement.
The government will offer monetary and credit policy incentives to financial institutions that meet the requirements for inclusive finance businesses, and support commercial banks to improve their service networks.
"By coordinating different measures, inclusive and convenient financial services will promote job creation, economic upgrading and improvement of people's lives," the statement said.
The executive meeting decided to raise the subsidy for emergency assistance efforts in natural disasters, the pension for family members of the deceased from major disasters, life assistance fund in the transitional period and central government subsidy for recovering and rebuilding damaged residential buildings.
In 2017, the country should solve the housing problems for all the people still staying in temporary places affected by natural disasters last year.
Source:Xinhua News Agency Date:2017-05-05