Combine harvester at work in fields around Datong, Shanxi, on Oct 21. [Photo by Wang Feihang/Xinhua News]

This has been a good year for harvesting corn, in Shanxi province, with over 70 percent of the planted area showing good results, Xinhua News reported on Oct 21.

The province had around 10,000 new combines to use on its land early this year, with the ability to make the work about 60 percent more efficient. Thanks to the new machines, around 12 billion square meters of corn has been picked so far this year.