Smart technology revolutionizes wheat farming in Shandong

In a bid to optimize agricultural practices and increase crop efficiency, the Hedong district of Linyi city – located in East China's Shandong province – has wholeheartedly embraced cutting-edge technology in its wheat farming.

At the heart of the initiative lies the utilization of intelligent mechanization, with drones taking center stage in the crucial spring cultivation and management of the wheat fields.

A drone pivots in the sky, sprinkling fertilizer over a wheat field. [Photo by Zhu Mengcang for chinadaily.com.cn]

"Compared with manual fertilization, our drone-based approach saves time, effort and costs," according to Han Xiangjun, deputy general manager of Shandong Supply and Marketing Cooperatives Farm Produce Co Ltd.

"By delivering fertilizers directly to the fields and employing drones to distribute them, we can cover 500 mu (33.33 hectares) in a single day," said Han.

That compared with the previous manual system, where 10 farmhands who would labor one full day to cover just 50 mu, he added.

A member of the staff skillfully guides a drone in a wheat field. [Photo by Zhu Mengcang for chinadaily.com.cn]

Since the start of the year, Hedong district has taken a comprehensive approach to its wheat management, entrusting management of 45,000 mu of its wheat to service providers under an agricultural production trusteeship model.

Equipped with state-of-the-art technology and ample agricultural inputs, these service providers offer expert technical guidance on field management – ensuring the timely replenishment of nutrients and the transformation of seedlings. (Edited by Zhou Yunlai)