Abdusali Awut, a farmer, pours cotton seeds into a sowing machine at cotton fields in Shache County of Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Ma Kai)
Abdusali Awut has completed the most important task this spring in just two days -- planting seeds in his 20-hectare cotton field.
URUMQI, March 30 (Xinhua) -- In Xinjiang, cotton spring sowing kicks off from irrigation areas. The peak period of cotton sowing comes in early April in the southern areas, while that in the northern part of the region starts a few days later. Compared with the laborious work in the old days, cotton farming has now become far more efficient and environment-friendly thanks to modern irrigation technologies and agricultural mechanization.
In addition to the sowing, mechanization techniques have also been thoroughly applied to the region's cotton farming. With the help of cotton pickers, pesticide spraying drones and other machinery, farmers have seen a big surge in income.
As the largest cotton-growing region in China, Xinjiang makes up some 87 percent of the country's total cotton output and about one-fifth of the world's total.
Industrial data showed that some 7 million rural residents in Xinjiang are engaged in the cotton industry, with the majority being ethnic minorities. Cotton farming is the major source of local agricultural income in southern Xinjiang.
Farmers spread film in cotton fields with the help of a tractor in Yingnu'er Village in Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on March 28, 2021. (Photo by Wang Zhipeng/Xinhua)
Farmers spread film in cotton fields with the help of a tractor in Yingnu'er Village in Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on March 28, 2021. (Photo by Wang Zhipeng/Xinhua)
Farmers spread film in cotton fields with the help of a tractor in Yingnu'er Village in Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on March 28, 2021. (Photo by Wang Zhipeng/Xinhua)
Farmers spread film in cotton fields with the help of a tractor in Yingnu'er Village in Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on March 28, 2021. (Photo by Wang Zhipeng/Xinhua)
Farmers spread film in cotton fields with the help of a tractor in Yingnu'er Village in Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on March 28, 2021. (Photo by Wang Zhipeng/Xinhua)
Farmers sow cotton seeds with the help of a machine in Shache County of Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Ma Kai)
Farmers work in cotton fields in Shache County of Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Ma Kai)
Farmers sow cotton seeds with the help of a machine in Shache County of Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 26, 2021. (Xinhua/Ma Kai)
A farmer drives a machine to plow the cotton fields in Bachu County of Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on March 28, 2021. (Xinhua/Ma Kai)
Aerial photo taken on March 28, 2021 shows farmers sowing seeds in cotton fields with the help of a machine in Bachu County of Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Ma Kai)
