During the 14th session of the Standing Committee of the 16th Shanghai Municipal People's Congress, Shanghai's legislators lauded the city's position as a national frontrunner in various development indicators related to the mechanization rates of agricultural facilities.

Statistics presented during the meeting revealed Shanghai's impressive achievement of a 66.4 percent proliferation rate in agricultural mechanization across its cultivation, farming, and harvesting processes. Additionally, the city has made significant strides by establishing approximately 9,530 hectares of unmanned farms for food production and creating 46 demonstrative zones that showcase machines replacing human labor.

Despite these accomplishments, Feng Zhiyong, the director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, highlighted existing shortcomings and obstacles in advancing high-tech agriculture. To tackle these issues, Shanghai has set up 12 facility agricultural zones aimed at attracting market-oriented businesses that specialize in cutting-edge modern agricultural projects, such as plant factories and modern intelligent glasshouses.

Jin Yinshu, a member of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, pointed out the challenges faced by these projects, including high operational costs and prolonged payback periods, both of which led to subdued market interest for investment. She proposed optimizing relevant policies to invigorate market growth and foster innovation in the sector.

Shen Wen, a representative to the Municipal People's Congress, underscored the persistent issue of land fragmentation hindering the expansion of facility agriculture and the improvement of production efficiency. To address this challenge, Shen recommended the formulation of supportive policies, measures, and financial aid to facilitate the development of agricultural areas in facilities.

In response to concerns about the heavy reliance on imported seeds, Shi Jiping, a member of the Standing Committee of the Municipal People's Congress, advocated for the acceleration of scientific and technological innovations in modern agriculture. This includes advocating for the establishment of key laboratories and other major innovation platforms to drive progress in the sector.

Furthermore, the delegates emphasized the importance of enhancing support for rural talents by optimizing the introduction, training, and recruitment of rural talents.

Source: Jiefang Daily