The picture shows the grain granules being returned to the warehouse.

The picture shows the harvesting site.

Text and Photos by Ding Tao and Wang Jingjing, the All-media Journalists, and Zhang Pei, the Correspondent

The autumn atmosphere is gradually becoming more pronounced, as the expansive fields in Fancheng District, Xiangyang, Hubei Province, are adorned with fragrant rice and golden corn. The autumn harvest is progressing systematically, with farmers taking advantage of the sunny weather to gather and dry their crops. This diligent effort ensures that the grains are safely stored away, laying a solid foundation for this year’s grain yield.

In Chenliwan Village and Zhanggang Village of Niushou Town, the sound of machinery resonates across the expansive fields of corn and rice, with multiple harvesters operating in a well-coordinated manner. Zhang Chubin, the director of the Agricultural Machinery Service Center in Niushou Town, said that this year, this town has cultivated a total of 41,000 mu of rice and 42,000 mu of corn. To ensure a smooth autumn harvest process, this center facilitated the introduction of 131 harvesters from Henan Province, Jiangsu Province, and other regions in mid-August. They established pre-agreed operating prices and coordinated machinery scheduling based on crop maturity timelines for each village. Beginning August 27, harvesting equipment was gradually deployed. Currently, 47 corn harvesters are simultaneously operational across more than 30 villages, while rice harvesting is also progressing according to local conditions. It is anticipated that by the end of September, all autumn harvest activities within the entire town will be fully completed.

At the same time, the 6,200-mu rice field in Duwan Village, Taipingdian Town, presents a bustling scene. Ma Hao, the director of the Agricultural Machinery Service Center in the town, explained that Taipingdian Town is recognized as a major hub for agricultural machinery and boasts a rice planting area of 90,000 mu. The region south of the provincial road primarily focuses on early rice cultivation. The town is equipped with nearly 400 rice harvesters, ensuring ample mechanical support for farmers. Currently, approximately 50,000 mu have been harvested, and it is anticipated that the remaining area will be fully harvested by mid-September.

This year, the total area dedicated to the autumn harvest of grain crops in the entire region reached 212,000 mu, with an anticipated overall output of approximately 117,300 tons. This includes 128,500 mu allocated for rice cultivation, 83,100 mu for corn, and 400 mu for soybeans. Simultaneously, the planting area for oilseed crops is recorded at 28,000 mu, comprising 19,200 mu of peanuts and 8,800 mu of sesame. This reflects a positive trend towards coordinated development between grain production and economic crop cultivation.

The agricultural department of Fancheng District announced that this year’s autumn harvest is benefiting from generally favorable weather, which is supporting strong crop growth and steady yield expectations. By utilizing agricultural mechanization and implementing cross-regional collaborative scheduling, the entire region has significantly improved harvesting efficiency, reduced production costs, and established a solid foundation to maintain stability and increase grain production.