Editor's note:The planting area of HC-021C rapeseed jointly developed by Wuhan Qingfa Hesheng Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. (a member enterprise of Nongfa Seed Industry) and Pakistani enterprises has been significantly expanded, and it is distributed in many regions of Pakistan. On February 3, People** published "The planting area of rapeseed varieties jointly developed by China and Pakistan has been significantly expanded, improving the income level of Pakistani growers - advanced technology empowers agricultural production"., in-depth report on the company's Zhou Xusheng and his team's efforts to popularize field management technology knowledge in Pakistan's new planting areas, help farmers increase rapeseed yields, and improve the income level of Pakistani growers. Share the full text for you!
The planting area of rapeseed varieties jointly developed by China and Pakistan has been significantly expanded, which has improved the income level of Pakistani growers
Advanced technology empowers agricultural production
People**, February 3, 2024, 5th edition).
Reporter: Cheng Shijie.
On the eve of the Chinese New Year, Pakistan in South Asia is already in early spring, and rape flowers are beginning to bloom one after another. This year, the planting area of HC-021C rapeseed jointly developed by Chinese and Pakistani enterprises has been significantly expanded, distributed in many regions of Pakistan. During the busy farming season, Zhou Xusheng, the Chinese head of the seed sales business, and his team plan to run more and see more during the Spring Festival, popularize field management techniques in new planting areas, and help farmers increase rapeseed yields.
Rape flowers are blooming in spring
Zhou Xusheng (second from right) and his team.
The morning mist has not yet dissipated, walking in the green fields, you can see a hazy pale yellow in the distance, this is the first blooming rape field. "In my hometown, the rape flowers are in full bloom until the month, which is just the time to go green. Zhou Xusheng said that in Pakistan, before the Chinese Lunar New Year arrived, the team began a busy "journey".
Backed by the majestic Karakoram Mountains, the Honde region of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is blocked by cold air from the north and warm and humid air currents from the south. The unique climate and hydrothermal conditions of the region have brought many challenges to rapeseed cultivation.
Pakistan's native rapeseed is a mustard type variety, which has low yield and oil yield, and has a spicy oil taste. In addition, the industrial chain is short and the market purchase is low, and the income obtained by farmers is not high. Since 2004, the Chinese team has been breeding and trialing cabbage-type rapeseed varieties suitable for local cultivation in Pakistan.
The team of technicians visited local growers and taught them planting techniques.
However, Pakistan's warm winter has allowed several rapeseed varieties that excel in China to grow too tall, resulting in a decline in rapeseed yields. When the rapeseed matures in the month, the high temperature weather in Pakistan can easily cause the plant to crack the pod and lose the seed, affecting the yield of rapeseed.
Solving these problems requires local selection and trialing, which means time and patience. Zhou Xusheng said that HC-021C rapeseed was developed by the Chinese and Pakistani teams, and it took about 10 years of attempts and efforts. This variety is adapted to Pakistan's hydrothermal and soil conditions, strong resistance to stress, high yield and oil content, especially early flowering, fast maturity, and seed harvest before high temperature weather, which can ensure yield and rapeseed quality. According to the feedback from the trial planting last year, the yield of rapeseed per mu of the new variety of rapeseed has increased by two to three percent, the market purchase has increased by 80%, and the trial farmers have increased their income significantly.
In the rape field, Nassim, who runs a seed distribution station, is checking on the growth of the rape with farmers. This year is the first time Nassim has sold HC-021C rapeseed. Seeing Zhou Xusheng, he happily greeted loudly: "Mr. Zhou, the rape flowers are blooming!" Zhou Xusheng and his team members walked down the ridge and joined them. The rape is growing well, and the few plants that have risen to the top and bloom are all tall. The sun shines, the morning mist dissipates, and the dotted rape flowers are dazzling and full of vitality.
Variety renewal income increased
With Nassim's help, the Chinese team patiently answered questions and explained the field management work while demonstrating the farmer's questions. After finishing his work, Nassim invited everyone to take a break at the town's seed distribution station.
Zhou Xusheng and Nassim in the field.
The seed distribution station is a streetside storefront, and there is a large promotional poster of HC-021C rapeseed on the wall, which can be seen that this is the main product of the seed distribution station this season. Nassim said that some Chinese-bred fruit and vegetable seeds were also sold locally, although they were not developed specifically for Pakistan, but they had a higher germination rate, better traits, and a significant increase in the purchase of **, which was recognized by farmers. I heard that this rapeseed was developed by the China-Brazil team specifically for the local climate and hydrothermal conditions, and everyone is more enthusiastic about trying to grow it.
As the rape flowers bloom, so does the work of field management. From time to time, Nassim visits the field to observe the growth of rapeseed, communicates with farmers, and recommends new varieties to farmers, hoping that more farmers will participate in planting next season.
Looking at the seeds displayed on the shelves of the distribution station, Zhou Xusheng asked Nassim about the sales and harvest of seeds, and the purchase of rapeseed**. Zhou Xusheng told reporters that Pakistan is a big agricultural country, and there is still a lot of room for improvement in the fields of seed breeding, field management and deep processing of agricultural and sideline products, which is a good opportunity for local agricultural development.
The team of technicians teaches planting techniques to growers.
Zhou's team is exploring opportunities for the upstream and downstream of the rapeseed oil industry chain. Considering the expansion of planting area this year, the team ordered several electrically driven oil extraction equipment from China to further improve the efficiency of oil extraction. According to China's domestic experience, rapeseed residue from cabbage rapeseed is highly nutritious and does not have a pungent taste, and is suitable for poultry and aquaculture feed after treatment. This year, the team plans to put more effort into the efficient use of rapeseed residue.
Through the empowerment of China's agricultural technology and agricultural development experience, Pakistan's agricultural economic benefits are constantly improving. Zhou Xusheng said that from hybrid rice, hybrid wheat and other food crops, to rape, sesame and other cash crops, to local people love cauliflower and other fruit and vegetable products, Chinese seeds have blossomed and borne fruit in Pakistan, and the income level of relevant growers in Pakistan has increased significantly.
The smell of oil is overflowing
Mr. Zhou, you promised to give me a 'lucky poster', remember? Nassim asked.
Of course, now is the right time to post. Zhou Xusheng smiled and took out a red carton from his bag. When I opened it, there was a pair of Chinese Spring Festival couplets inside. The last time he visited Zhou Xusheng's office in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, Nassim was very curious about the Spring Festival couplets posted on the door. Zhou Xusheng explained that this is a "lucky poster" for Chinese, which can bring wealth and good luck.
Zhou Xusheng promised to prepare a set of "lucky posters" for Nassim, and he did not forget this promise. In Pakistan, it's spring. Nassim decided to put the couplets in the seed distribution station, hoping that this "lucky poster" would bring a happy life.
Crash! In the kitchen of Nassim's house behind the seed distribution station, Nassim's family is cooking fish nuggets and local fried dumplings. Fish pieces and fried dumplings tumbled in the rapeseed oil sent by Zhou Xusheng, and the fragrance was strong.
We have Spring Festival couplets, fish, dumplings here, the oil is fragrant, and the flavor of the New Year is getting stronger! Zhou Xusheng said that the Pakistani people's diet has a large demand for vegetable oil, but the proportion of oil crops in Pakistan's agricultural products is low, and the dependence on imports is high. In the new year, as the planting area of new varieties of oilseed rape expands further, he expects more and more Pakistanis to have access to high-quality local vegetable oil at home.
For the new year, Nasim's wish is to have the opportunity to study in China. "By planting Chinese seeds, more and more Pakistanis are realizing the importance of introducing advanced agricultural technologies. Nassim said that he wants to go to China to learn more advanced agricultural technology and make more contributions to the development of agriculture in his hometown.
This article ** is published in the 5th edition of "People**" on February 3, 2024, and ** is added by the editor).