China's Inner Mongolia region cotton production on track

16 Oct '13

2 min read

The Alashan region in Inner Mongolia, located in northern part of China, has witnessed a growth in cotton area being harvested by machines from 300 acres in 2012 to 8,080 acres this year.

In 1991, some Inner Mongolian areas like Bayannur and Ordos tried to grow cotton, but then in 1996, it was decided to introduce cotton cultivation in Alashan area, and since then cotton cultivation, processing and sales is on track.

In 2010, a comprehensive experimental station for Inner Mongolia cotton was set up to introduce new varieties of cotton, water-saving technology, mechanized harvesting, full mechanization of planting and creating high-yield.

In 2011, Alashan cotton yield reached 523.4 kg, and last year for the first time, Air 4MZ-3 type self-propelled cotton picker was introduced in Inner Mongolia, leading to mechanization of cotton harvesting for the first time.

The full mechanization of cultivation techniques has resulted in saving of 300 cubic metres of water per mu (1 mu = 0.067 hectares) and 150 yuan per mu saving on fertilizer inputs.

Experts believe that Inner Mongolia will continue to expand its cotton acreage and over the next 10 to 20 years the region would become a key cotton growing area in China, making Alashan a high-yield, high-quality cotton production base.

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