Generation gap: father and son disagree on organic farming

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By CGTN's Zhu Qinliang

Food safety is a real concern in China, with more and more young farmers in China decisive to turn to organic farming to grow crops.

But their fathers may not agree on that, arguing that the approach could be risky.

Ding Hui and his father Ding Jianhua from northeastern China's Liaoning Province decided to experiment with the concept.

Haojia Village in Liaoning Province, where the family lives. /CGTN Photo

Ding Hui reserved a three-hector piece of land to grow rice without using chemical fertilizers and pesticides. On their remaining 50 hectares, the family continued using the regular method.

The young man also opted to raise ducks at the site, as they can help eat up insects and weeds, providing a suitable environment for rice to grow without chemical intervention.

Ding Hui's experiment involved ducks. /CGTN Photo

However, things did not go as planned. He lost more than ten ducks in a month, making him frustrated. The decreasing number of ducks meant the grass was free to grow, which impacted the production of organic rice.

This year, the rice fields needed massive investment. The father and the son had to take out a loan, but their creditors are now asking for repayment, prompting Ding Jianhua to turn to his friends for help.

What will happen to the father and son?