Xinjiang's cotton industry is seeing a major boost thanks to innovative breeding techniques and the integration of digital technology. The region, a top cotton producer in China, is setting new standards for quality and output.
On October 9, Li Xueyuan, chief expert of Xinjiang's technological system for the cotton industry, announced a groundbreaking achievement: the per-unit output at a high-yield cotton demonstration field in Jinghe County has set a national record for calculated yield over a large harvest area.
\"Initially, our goal in breeding new varieties focused solely on increasing cotton yields. Later, we expanded our objectives to achieve early maturity, premium quality, disease resistance, and suitability for mechanical harvesting. Now, most of these objectives have been achieved,\" Li explained.
Beyond breeding, Xinjiang's Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs has established a robust technology system for cotton production. Demonstration fields across major cotton-growing counties ensure balanced growth and widespread adoption of best practices.
Digital farming plays a pivotal role, allowing cotton farmers to meticulously manage their fields through mobile controls for watering and fertilization. Cotton farmer Dong Chenglong shared his experience: \"The cotton crops we grow have robust stalks and abundant bolls. It's easy for one person to manage nearly 500 mu (about 33.3 hectares) of land.\"
Mechanized harvesting has revolutionized the process, enabling a cotton picker to harvest the equivalent work of 2,000 laborers in a single day. \"With mechanization, cotton contamination is eliminated, and transportation is streamlined, ensuring high cotton quality,\" Dong added.
This year, Xinjiang has achieved a remarkable 97% mechanization rate for cotton plowing, planting, and harvesting. This efficiency supports the textile and apparel industry's demand for high-quality raw materials.
\"When we simulate sweating in the lining, there's no visible sweat stain from the outside. This solves the issue of sweat stains for people who wear shirts in summer. It's similar to coating the cotton with a membrane, and since we use long-staple cotton from Xinjiang, the fabric's breathability is excellent,\" said Cai Wei, general manager of a clothing brand in Xinjiang.
With a steady cotton output of over 5 million tonnes for five consecutive years, Xinjiang continues to lead China's cotton production, maintaining the top spot for planting area and total output for 30 years.
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Xinjiang's cotton industry is seeing a major boost thanks to innovative breeding techniques and the integration of digital technology. The region, a top cotton producer in China, is setting new standards for quality and output. 
Digital farming plays a pivotal role, allowing cotton farmers to meticulously manage their fields through mobile controls for watering and fertilization. Cotton farmer Dong Chenglong shared his experience: \"The cotton crops we grow have robust stalks and abundant bolls. It's easy for one person to manage nearly 500 mu (about 33.3 hectares) of land.\"
Mechanized harvesting has revolutionized the process, enabling a cotton picker to harvest the equivalent work of 2,000 laborers in a single day. \"With mechanization, cotton contamination is eliminated, and transportation is streamlined, ensuring high cotton quality,\" Dong added.
