China embraces bumper harvest of autumn grain with nearly 40 percent of crops reaped

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠China is embracing a bountiful harvest of autumn grain this year, with nearly 40 percent of the crops reaped, according to the latest official data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Since the beginning of this month, most areas of the country have seen crisp autumn air and favorable weather, which is conducive to the harvest of autumn grain and the sowing of wheat and rape in the fields, with the three autumn farming jobs of harvesting, sowing and field management proceeding smoothly.

As autumn brings ideal harvesting conditions, farmers in east China's Jiangxi Province are busy mobilizing harvesting machineries to pick up the newly repened medium rice. 

In the provincial capital city of Nanchang alone, there are 950,000 mu (63,333 hectares) of ripened rice crops awaiting busy harvest.

"The yield per hectare is more than 9,750 kilograms. The rice quality is also very good, so it sells well on the market. The proceeds per hectare is 22,500 yuan (3,200 U.S. dollars)," said Sun Longxing, a local grain farmer in Anyi County, Nanchang City.

Meanwhile, Gucheng County in north China's Hebei Province is turning market demands into opportunities for farmers. The county government is leading farmers to shift from sporadic crop growing onto large-scale farming to generate higher efficiency and income.

Focusing on crops with high economic value and high added value, the local farmers have chosen to grow a large number of high-oleic peanuts, which not only boast an oleic acid content well above that of regular peanuts, but are also of advantages such as antioxidant properties and better storability.

"Based on the market price of 8 yuan (1.1 U.S. dollars) per kilogram, the estimated unit income is 49,500 yuan (7,050 U.S. dollars) per hectare," said Wei Lizhi, Party secretary of Weijiayuan Village, Gucheng County.

With the combination of effective agricultural practices and innovative approaches, Kaixiangong Village in Suzhou City of east China's Jiangsu Province has launched a new revenue model by integrating rice, crab, and mulberry farming.

According to Xia Zhixiao, Party secretary at Kaixiangong Village, this approach not only preserves traditional farming practices but also contributes to local culture and sustainability.

"Our rice field serves as a practical and educational base for agricultural practices. In the future, we aim to explore practical market-oriented operations for our educational tour programs related to agriculture, culture, and tourism through a series of activities," he noted. 

China embraces bumper harvest of autumn grain with nearly 40 percent of crops reaped

Braving the ongoing war, ambulance drivers in Gaza have been working round the clock to save people's lives since the latest round of the Palestine-Israel conflict broke out on October 7, 2023.

The challenges they are facing are numerous and sometimes deadly: the road conditions are poor, the vehicles they drive are old and outdated and they are frequently targeted by the Israeli attacks.

This is indeed a genocidal war that doesn't differentiate between the old and the young, according to Motaz Ayoub, an ambulance driver in Gaza.

"One day, probably on Nov 18, I received an emergency call from the Al-Alami area, which was under attack. When I got to the scene, I saw it was my grandfather's house that had been targeted. My family had taken refuge there as our home had already been hit. My father and mother, my elder brother, his wife and child, my younger brother and my sisters were all hiding in the house. Everyone in my family was injured in this attack. No one came out unharmed," Ayoub said.

In addition, Ayoub said that the ambulances they drive are outdated and in a terrible condition, with some being over 20 years old. In addition, the ambulances are often targeted by the Israeli military.

"We did everything to repair these ambulances, but they have been targeted. Now, there are three ambulances that are out of service. The ambulance we are using is a 2001 model. The international norm is for an ambulance to be used for five years. So, one model in 2001 should have been retired around 2006 after being in service for five years. But we are dependent on this vehicle, as well as on very limited resources," he said.

"These challenges all come to the fore during our rescue efforts," he continued.

These challenges will impact their ability to save civilian lives. If they have no fuel and if an area is under attack, they can't reach the scene on time. So, major injuries become serious, and severe injuries become fatal, he explained.

He noted that most of the mechanics from the north and Gaza City have moved south. The serious lack of mechanics and repair workshops is another major problem. The repair workshops have been attacked. Most of the repair workshops in the Gaza Strip, especially those in Gaza City, have been targeted.

Ambulance drivers in Gaza brave war to work round clock to save people's lives