Reliable power fuels Dingxi's potato planting season

Signs of spring emerged across Dingxi in  Gansu province on March 9. As a key national-level breeding zone for virus-free potato seeds, Anding district is advancing the cultivation of virus-free potato seedlings and the laying of plastic mulch as the soil thaws at planting bases.

State Grid Dingxi Power Supply Company has aligned its services with the local climate conditions and the production needs of specialty agriculture, providing stable and reliable power support for the cultivation of virus-free potato seedlings. Amid the warmth of spring, the company is fostering hopes for a bumper harvest and supporting rural industrial revitalization.

With an earlier Start of Spring — the first of the 24 solar terms on the Chinese calendar — and a rapid rise in temperature this year, Dingxi has made early arrangements and taken proactive steps in line with the agricultural calendar.

Farmers have been mobilized to make use of favorable sunny weather, laying plastic mulch as soon as the soil thaws to seize the farming season and lay a solid foundation for the subsequent sowing of potatoes, corn, and other crops.

Meanwhile, service personnel from the power supply company have been venturing into farmlands and rural communities, providing face-to-face guidance and hands-on training to help farmers use electricity safely and reliably.

At the potato seed production base of Gansu Yuxin Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Technology Development Co, virus-free potato seedlings are thriving in more than 30 greenhouses, where workers are busy transplanting them in favorable weather.

"The cultivation of virus-free seedlings has extremely strict requirements for temperature, humidity and sprinkler irrigation stability. A stable power supply directly determines the survival rate of seedlings," said Guo Suide, director of the base, pointing to the intelligent temperature control and sprinkler irrigation systems.

While seed potato breeding is in full swing, farmers are also busy with other fieldwork.

At the Modern Agriculture Potato Planting Base in Lujiagou, Anding district, rotary tillers and mulching machines are operating continuously, with farmers following closely to compact the edges of the mulch film. 

In response to the scattered agricultural power loads and diverse irrigation demand in mountainous areas, the company, relying on the "Heart Bridge · Brightness Station", monitors the load of agricultural power distribution areas in real time through the electricity information collection system, shifting from passive emergency repairs to proactive operation and maintenance.

Meanwhile, a specialized technical team for power supply services has been established to enter breeding workshops, greenhouses and seedling bases, offering customized energy solutions tailored to modern cultivation modes such as aeroponics and hydroponics, helping farmers reduce electricity costs. 

In addition, the company has launched extensive campaigns regarding the safe use of electricity, explaining the safe operation specifications of irrigation electrical equipment to farmers, so that they can use electricity securely and irrigate scientifically.

"In the past, we relied on natural rainfall for irrigation, which was labor-intensive, time-consuming and unevenly distributed. Now, powered by electricity, water and fertilizer are delivered directly to the roots, saving 50 percent of water per mu (0.067 hectares) and increasing yield by more than 15 percent," said Li Judong, a local grower, while adjusting the drip irrigation system and calculating his increased income.

With temperatures continuing to climb, Dingxi is expected to usher in the peak of mulching in mid-to-late March. By then, rows of silver mulch film will stretch across the fields like a new suit for the earth, forming a warm protective layer for the upcoming potato sowing. 

State Grid Dingxi Power Supply Company will continue to provide responsive power support, helping improve the scale and quality of Dingxi's potato industry with efficient services. It will help unlock the full potential of the potato industry, support rural vitalization, and contribute to the high-quality development of the potato industry in Dingxi.