Rice planting technology looks a lot like printing

The machine, provided by the company, can "fast print" enough seeds every minute for 0.13 to 0.2 hectares of land, which is enough to meet the needs of the whole village. It costs the farmers 180 yuan ($28) per hectare.

"Compared with traditional manual sowing of rice seeds, the seed printing technology provides more precision - saving more than 30 percent of the seeds and reducing sowing costs of 450 yuan per hectare for the farmers," said Yang Xiwen, a village official.

She added that the technology provides more even distribution of seeds than can be achieved manually. It prevents overseeding or missed spots that are typical of manual sowing, and can increase the quality and yield of the rice as well.