For healthy rice paddies, bring in the ducks

More than 1,000 ducks were introduced recently to help clear weeds in the paddy fields of a farm in Ping'an township of Shulan, Jilin province.

"We have practiced the unique, integrated rice-duck farming system for more than 10 years," said Li Xueming, the farm's owner. "The ducks eat weeds and insects, their paddling stimulates plant growth and their manure provides a natural fertilizer."

"We can produce high-quality organic rice without using pesticides or chemical fertilizers," he said. "Moreover, raising ducks and growing rice on the same land reduces costs and helps us increase incomes."