Shandong: Cotton has grown to Central Asia

Can cotton and silkworm species from Shandong be introduced to five countries in Central Asia? On June 26, the Shandong China-Sino-Asian Five-nation Agricultural Science and Technology Cooperation High-level Forum jointly hosted by Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences and Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences was held in Jinan.

Seeking capacity transfer

Wan Shubo, dean of the Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said that the agricultural production of the five Central Asian countries is dominated by planting and animal husbandry. Cotton is the pillar industry of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. Central Asian agriculture and Shandong agriculture are highly complementary. Shandong is the largest province for the production of vegetables and fruits and a major export province. Shandong cotton is also gradually shifting in the adjustment of agricultural structure.

Zhu Qingjun, deputy director of the International Cooperation Department of Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said that the five Central Asian countries are typical inland and rainless countries. These countries have more drought-resistant crops and better development of dry farming. The hilly area of ​​the Jiaodong Peninsula and the mountainous areas of southern Shandong need to develop dry farming. The dry seed farming resources in our province are lacking, and the dry farming agricultural seed resources can be introduced from Central Asia.

The cotton and silkworm breeding industry in Central Asia has a relatively large planting area. These two industries are advantageous industries in Shandong. In recent years, cotton planting area in Shandong Province has shrunk, but the scientific research strength of cotton in Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences is very strong. “That is to say, Shandong cotton technology has overcapacity.” Zhu Qingjun said that Shandong is a major cotton province, but because of cotton The price is low, and cotton farmers are not motivated. At present, the cotton planting area in Shandong is only a few million mu.

At present, the two cotton varieties exported by the Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences to Sudan have accounted for more than 95% of the total cotton planting area in Sudan. "We also want to export to the five Central Asian countries, copy the model in Sudan, and transfer the cotton technology capacity in Shandong to the other side." Zhu Qingjun said.