How China's farmers cope with cold waves during spring plowing

Spring plowing is in full swing across China. However, recurrent cold waves and snow that swept parts of the country froze the green seedlings, worrying local farmers. 

To solve the problem, agricultural technicians are providing tailored advice and customized support for protecting vegetable and greenhouse production.

Hu Shichao, a local farmer from Zhongmou County in central China's Henan Province, is concerned about his wheatland as the province has experienced two rounds of snow, and the local temperature has dropped to minus 10 degrees Celsius. 

A spring plowing service team from the Sino-Agri Leading Biosciences Company came to his wheatland and gave suggestions to the farmer after measuring snow depth and checking the seedlings' condition. 

"It's necessary to fertilize the wheatland with high nitrogen after the snow because it's good for the wheat to tiller later," said He Yugang, the leader of the service team.

Xiushan County in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality planted more than 100 hectares of morel mushrooms, which are in the growing season. Local agricultural technicians came to the greenhouses to help local farmers place plastic mulch layers on the mushrooms. 

"We placed plastic mulch layers on the morel mushrooms to maintain an appropriate temperature and humidity for the growth of the mushrooms, which can effectively mitigate the impacts of the cold temperatures and guarantee the production of the mushrooms," said Zhu Rui, director of the agricultural service center of Guanzhuang Street in Xiushan.

Spring plowing proceeds in an orderly manner throughout China based on temperature changes. From late February to March and April, rice is planted in provinces such as Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Fujian in southern China. In late April, main crops such as corn, soybeans and potatoes are planted in northeast China and Inner Mongolia.