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FAQ |
Can China's farmers increase grain yields? |
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Yes, quite a bit. It
is estimated that current average grain yields of about 4.9 tons per hectare could be
increased at least by some 15 to 30%. |
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An increase of grain
yields would require improvements in agricultural management, better crop varieties,
optimized input of agricultural chemicals, and the use of modern technology in
cultivation, harvesting and harvest processing. |
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The International
Rice Research Institute (IRRI) recently reported that in the Taoyuan township of
temperate-climate Yunnan province farmers have been harvesting 15 or more tons of rice per
hectare for the last 8 years. This was possible because they used a modern rice variety
IR72 (IRRI news release) and high inputs of fertilizers. |
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Revision 2.0 (First revision published in 1999)
- Copyright © 2011 by Gerhard K. Heilig. All rights reserved. (First revision: Copyright © 1999 by IIASA.) |
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