Grain output in Xinjiang hits a record high

The grain output of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region hit a record high this year as the harvested areas registered a year-on-year increase of 5.6 percent, according to the regional statistics bureau.

The yield of wheat and corn across Xinjiang has risen this year with the former increasing by 7.6 percent and the latter by 13 percent. The mechanization rate of grain production has reached 85.2 percent in the region.

Tang Yiwu, an official from the region's department of agriculture and rural affairs, said that water-saving irrigation technologies have been widely applied in Xinjiang's grain cultivation bases. The department has also dispatched experts to instruct farmers to further improve the grain production capacity. Besides, subsidies are offered to farmers to keep their motivation level high.

The winter wheat planted by Zhu Bing, a farmer from Qitai county in Changji Hui autonomous prefecture, recorded a big harvest this year. Zhu sold his wheat for 2.86 yuan (around $0.45) per kilogram. Recently, he was offered a chance to learn the integration of water and fertilizer technology. "I'll prepare myself for the next year's harvest," Zhu said.