As autumn comes, many parts of China will usher in the autumn harvest in a month. According to China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the country has seen a stable increase in the planting area of autumn grain this year, with an estimated area of 87.3 million hectares, an increase of about 467,000 hectares.

The output of autumn grain accounts for more than 70 percent of the total annual grain output, including summer grain, early-season rice and autumn grain. To ensure the grain output of this year remains above the targeted annual grain output, which is 65 million tonnes, cities in the country have been rolling out measures in the coming autumn.

In Suihua City, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, farmers use drones to fertilize soybean fields as it is a critical stage when the beans in the pods are growing. The local soybean planting area this year covers more than 400,000 hectares.

In east China's Shandong Province, the average rainfall of August is about 10 to 20 percent more than in previous years, causing soil nutrient loss and threatening autumn grain production. In order to ensure the stable production and increase of autumn grain, the province has dispatched agricultural technicians to guide and support villagers in planting.

For Qingyun County in the province, it is the first time soybeans have been grown in saline-alkali soil. As one of the soybean farmers, Hu Quanxiang is full of expectations for this year's harvest with the guidance of agricultural technicians.

"As far as the current growth condition of soybeans growing in saline-alkali soil, it is basically the same as that of ordinary soybean fields. I'm very confident about this year's output," said Hu.

So far, part of the autumn grain harvest has begun in southwest China. In Renhuai City, southwest China's Guizhou Province, about 24,333 hectares of sorghum entered the harvest season.

"This year, we've made a bumper harvest of sorghum. Also, their fruits are plump," said Yang Youguo, a farmer in Maopo Village of the City.

With the autumn harvest approaching, the Ministry of Finance recently allocated 2.4 billion yuan (about $330 million) to support disaster prevention and reduction in agriculture, and ensure the grain output.

(If you have specific expertise and want to contribute, or if you have a topic of interest that you'd like to share with us, please email us at nature@cgtn.com.)