Pingyao maintains smooth agricultural growth in 2019

Agricultural production maintained its steady development in Pingyao county in central Shanxi province in 2019, according to local officials. 

They said that during the past year, the county focused on implementing its industrial expansion and upgrade project, a new technology trial demonstration and promotion project and soil fertility improvement project.

It also focused on a modern industrial park construction project, rural residential environment improvements and a demonstration village construction project, as well as a project to help improve farmers' skills and general abilities.

Meantime, the county carried out agricultural market supervision, agricultural product quality and safety supervision, agricultural monitoring, implementation of its rural revitalization strategy, poverty alleviation and agricultural brand building.

The county's agricultural industry clusters were further developed over the past year, especially in industry scale and industrial park construction.

The total output of the 360 square kilometers of planted food crops reached 189,800 metric tons, and the total output of 142 sq km of cultivated fruit reached 205,500 tons. 

The vegetable industry maintained steady development, with total vegetable output reaching 160,500 tons. The industrialization chain for traditional Chinese medicine was improved in the county and the TCM planting area added 4 sq km in 2019.

The county's agricultural industrialization also expanded last year, officials said.

The sales revenue of around 80 leading agricultural companies in the county in 2019 was projected to total 6 billion yuan ($861.45 million), an increase of 200 million yuan year-on-year, of which agricultural product processing sales revenues reached 5.7 billion yuan.

There were six more local companies recognized as leading agricultural companies at the provincial level in 2019.

In addition, new breakthroughs were made in the quality and safety control of agricultural products.

Officials said that in 2019, 12 green and pollution-free agricultural products applied for certification. The pass rate of routine sampling inspections of 200 types of fruit and vegetables, as well as 17 agricultural products, reached 100 percent.

The agricultural department of Pingyao county stated that in 2020, the county would move to further expand the industry and upgrade its food crops, vegetables, fruit, agri-tourism and the agricultural processing and TCM sectors – as well as move to further increase famers' incomes.