Spring ploughing is imminent, and “expanding soybean planting” has become a hot topic of general concern to agricultural producers this year. In 2022, the No. 1 central document put forward the plan to vigorously implement the soybean and oil production capacity upgrading project. The central rural work conference held at the end of 2021 proposed to practically adjust the structure, expand the planting of soybeans and oil plants, and see assessable results.
“The state has proposed to expand the planting of soybeans. I originally planned to plant thousands of Mu this year. Now I want to respond to the call of the state and strive to exceed 10000 mu.” Zhang Wenhai, a large grower in Dongsheng Village, Donglin Town, hailun City, Suihua City, Heilongjiang Province, is optimistic about soybean planting this year.
As the largest high-quality soybean production and supply base in China, Heilongjiang’s perennial soybean planting area accounts for more than 40% of the country, and the commodity rate is more than 80%. What do farmers think of expanding soybean planting? How to achieve “double improvement” in soybean area and yield? How to promote the upgrading of China’s soybean industry chain? With these questions, the reporter came to Heilongjiang Province, China’s main soybean producing area, to find the answer.
improve the income of soybean planting
In late February, the black land is still covered with thick ice and snow, but spring farming production should be planned in advance. For the expansion of soybean planting, Heilongjiang recently issued the work plan for the expansion of soybean planting in Heilongjiang Province in 2022, which puts forward that the soybean planting area in the province will reach 68.5 million mu in 2022, an increase of more than 10 million mu over 2021; We will strive to achieve a total output of 17 billion jin, an increase of more than 2.6 billion jin over 2021.
Corn and soybean are two major dry land crops in Heilongjiang, and there is a certain relationship of land competition. As the income from corn planting is generally higher than that of soybean, farmers will still prefer to plant corn. According to the national statistical data, the sown area of soybean in China in 2021 was 126 million mu, a decrease of 22 million mu over the previous year, a decrease of 4.8%. The reason behind this is the low soybean yield and low planting income.
Du Zhentao, chairman of hailun Haibei agricultural machinery cooperative, calculated an account for the reporter: there will be a bumper harvest in 2021, the corn will generally achieve the level of tons of grain per mu, the purchase price of wet corn will reach 0.9 yuan per kilogram, and the purchase price of corn per mu will be about 2000 yuan; The yield of soybean per mu ranges from 350 kg to 400 kg, and the purchase price reaches 3 yuan per kg, and the purchase price of soybean per mu is about 1200 yuan. Corn uses a little more chemical fertilizer than soybeans, and the subsidy for corn growers is 200 yuan less than soybeans per mu. However, on the whole, the income of corn planting per mu is still about 400 yuan higher than soybeans.
In order to balance the planting of corn and soybean, Heilongjiang will continue to implement the differentiated subsidy policy for corn and soybean in 2022. In principle, the subsidy for soybean producers is about 200 yuan per mu higher than that for corn producers. The specific subsidy standard will be determined according to the legal and actual planting area of corn and soybean and other factors.
“Whether planting soybeans or corn, we must first ensure the interests of farmers. The State advocates expanding the planting of soybeans, so we must improve the income of soybean planting.” Du Zhentao frankly said that this year, the price of agricultural materials will continue the price rise momentum of last year, and the price of diesel oil will also rise sharply, resulting in a significant increase in the cost of agricultural production this year. Ensure that the price of agricultural materials is stable, so as not to squeeze the income of grain planting.
popularize high-yield cultivation techniques
Since 1996, China’s soybean imports have been increasing. In 2021, China’s soybean imports reached 96.518 million tons, while in 2020, China’s soybean imports exceeded 100 million tons, accounting for about 60% of the global soybean trade. The degree of dependence of soybean on foreign countries can be seen.
The expansion of soybean planting and the increase of planting area are only means, and the purpose is to improve China’s soybean production capacity. Ensure national food security and let Chinese rice bowls be loaded with Chinese food.
“How to improve soybean production capacity? We should not only have the guarantee of good farmland, but also rely on improved seeds and methods.” Luan Xiaoyan, a second-class researcher at the Soybean Research Institute of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, believes that in order to promote the breakthrough of soybean breeding technology in China and select high-quality, high-yield, density resistant and multi resistant soybean varieties, we should also realize standardization, scale and mechanization in soybean planting.
During the 13th Five Year Plan period, China has made great progress in the breeding of new soybean varieties. A total of 1030 new soybean varieties were approved in China, including 330 in Heilongjiang Province. “The new soybean varieties represented by ‘Heilong 84’ have been produced and demonstrated in Heilongjiang Province for five consecutive years, with an average yield of more than 250 kg per mu and a maximum yield of 287 kg per mu in a single year.” Luan Xiaoyan said.
The popularization and application of new soybean varieties has increased the average soybean yield per mu in China from 119.3kg in 2016 to 132.4kg in 2020, but there is still a big gap compared with foreign countries. Experts said that in addition to the differences in ecological conditions in soybean producing areas, the more important reason is that the R & D and application of new soybean varieties and supporting technologies are not synchronized, and soybean planting has not fully realized improved varieties, supporting methods, standardized, large-scale and mechanized production.
Gong Zhenping, chief expert of soybean industry technology system in Heilongjiang Province and professor of Northeast Agricultural University, believes that we should vigorously promote the application of high-yield and efficient soybean cultivation techniques, such as large ridge and close planting cultivation techniques. At the same time, it is also key to strengthen rice soybean rotation and realize accurate sowing of Soybean under returning corn straw to the field. “The yield of soybean planted by ordinary farmers is lower than that of the agricultural reclamation system and professional cooperatives, mainly because their planting technology is uneven and their daily field management is not in place. We should increase the training and guidance for farmers and improve the standardization of soybean planting.” Gong Zhenping said.
” Heilongjiang Agriculture Company Limited(600598) group will have a grain planting area of more than 44 million mu in 2021, including a soybean planting area of more than 9 million mu, with an average yield of 174.6 kg per mu. The soybean yield of 3 mu in the reclamation area is equivalent to 4 mu in other areas.” Wang Shoucong, Secretary of the Party committee and chairman of Heilongjiang Agriculture Company Limited(600598) group, told reporters that each farm mainly adopts the “large ridge and dense” cultivation technology mode. On the basis of reasonable rotation and by means of whole process standardized management, it comprehensively applies straw returning to the field, large ridge in autumn, three-dimensional layered quantitative fertilization, high-quality and improved seeds, precision sowing, aviation operation, comprehensive prevention and control of diseases, insect pests and grass pests, grain saving and loss reduction and other technologies to realize high yield, high quality and high efficiency of soybean production.
“Jiusan soybean is a brand product in Heilongjiang. This year, we have selected 21 soybean varieties, expanded the planting of 310000 mu of soybean, and the total planting area of soybean will reach 2510000 mu.” Zhang Honglei, deputy secretary of the Party committee and general manager of the 93 branch of Heilongjiang Agriculture Company Limited(600598) group, said that to promote the “double improvement” of soybean yield and quality, the key is to promote the full coverage of standardized production. In the long run, we should strengthen the protection of germplasm resources, organize the general survey and collection of soybean germplasm resources in a planned way, and establish high-standard National Germplasm resources protection areas and germplasm banks.
strengthen and optimize deep processing
Haibei town of hailun city is an important distribution center of soybean in northern Heilongjiang. There are more than 40 soybean trading and processing enterprises, and the number of enterprises reached more than 140 at the peak. Zhao Gang, deputy secretary of Haibei town Party committee, told reporters that the cultivated land in Hailun city is not only cold black soil, but also selenium rich soil. It is the main production area of high-quality soybeans. Hailun soybeans are well-known in China.
“Expanding the planting of soybeans will benefit our processing enterprises. Of course, processing enterprises hope that there will be sufficient raw materials so that the price will not rise sharply.
”Deng Xianpeng, general manager of hailun Pengxiang industry and Trade Co., Ltd., told reporters that his enterprise mainly processes high-quality soybean meal and exports it to Europe. The raw material is hailun soybean, but the soybean price increases year by year, which brings great cost pressure to the enterprise production.
The lack of soybean deep processing capacity and the weak ability of enterprises to resist market risks are the urgent problems to be solved in China’s soybean industry. To expand the planting of soybean, we should make new breakthroughs in the renewal of varieties and the application of new technologies and new models, so as to reduce production costs and improve planting efficiency. More importantly, we should improve the competitiveness and brand influence of soybean products from the perspective of industrial chain.
“Since the brand strategy of ‘building a non GM and organic dual engine’ was determined in early 2021, Jiusan soybean oil has been favored by consumers.” An Kefeng, deputy secretary of the Party committee and general manager of Jiusan Food Co., Ltd., told reporters that the price of soybean raw materials rose sharply in 2021. They strengthened the construction of soybean raw material procurement and storage capacity through the “leading enterprise + base” mode. At the same time, they set a quality control from raw materials entering the factory to products leaving the factory, established a perfect quality assurance system and product traceability system, and realized the steady development of the enterprise. The brand value of “Jiusan” exceeded 50 billion yuan.
As a national geographical indication product, Heilongjiang soybean is a dazzling business card for the development of China’s soybean industry. Industry insiders believe that in order to upgrade the soybean industry in Heilongjiang, the key is to play the three cards of “cold black soil, non GM and green organic”, realize the whole process traceable information management of soybean “from farmland to dining table”, continuously enhance the scientific and technological R & D strength of soybean enterprises, expand, strengthen and improve the intensive processing of soybean, so as to enhance the competitiveness and brand influence of the whole soybean industry chain, Promote the improvement of the overall strength of China’s soybean industry.
