<strong>China: Subcompany Formulates Scheme for Mechanization of Tobacco Production</strong>

Source from:  Qujing Tobacco Monopoly Administration 12/16/2013

Shizong County Tobacco Subcompany in Qujing City of southwest China's tobacco-producing Yunnan Province has formulated the 2013 Scheme for Realization of Whole-Process Mechanization of Leaf Tobacco Production in Shizong County, in line with unified planning by the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) and Yunnan Provincial Tobacco Monopoly Administration.

The formulation of the scheme was intended for accelerating promotion of the process of mechanization of leaf tobacco production, promoting tobacco farm machinery equipment and application to higher levels, and realize the goals of "reducing manpower, lowering costs and increasing efficiency".

As an important approach for the work of whole-process mechanization of leaf tobacco production in Shizong County in the year 2013, the scheme, together with the important contents of the 2013 Opinions of the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration on the Work of Field Mechanization of Leaf Tobacco Production, is of very great significance to acceleration of integration between farm machinery and agricultural technology and promotion of development of the tobacco industry.

Over recent years, Shizong County Tobacco Subcompany has attached great importance to development of whole-process mechanization of leaf tobacco production in the county. In 2013, the STMA issued the 2013 Opinions of the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration on the Work of Field Mechanization of Leaf Tobacco Production, which emphasizes attachment of importance to generalization and application of advanced, applicable, safe, reliable, energy-saving and environment-friendly farm machinery products that are badly needed for production, and acceleration of whole-process mechanization of leaf tobacco production, with the orientation of development of modern tobacco agriculture in lead, and in accordance with the general requirement of the policy of "whole-process coverage, scientific distribution, solution of what is easy first and what is difficult second, unit execution and orderly promotion."

Shizong County Tobacco Subcompany and other competent departments concerned have taken development of whole-process mechanization of leaf tobacco production as an important job; have brought under unified management the farm machinery for tobacco production and the relevant forces and resources for scientific-technological research, production, appraisal, generalization and safety supervision, etc; and have exerted concerted efforts to promote development of whole-process mechanization of leaf tobacco production.

In light of the geographic and geomorphic characteristics of Boyun high-quality leaf tobacco production and supply base units for China Tobacco Jiangsu Industrial Co., Ltd., and in accordance with the requirement of comprehensive, whole-process and overall coverage, Shizong County Tobacco Subcompany has realized over 90 percent of mechanized operation in four of the 10 processes of leaf tobacco production – ridging, transplantation, mulching film covering and fertilizer application.

In the distribution of farm machinery for tobacco production, Shizong County Tobacco Subcompany would, in accordance with the scheme, and in light of indexes of the acreage of tobacco, targets of mechanized operation, the efficiency of single-unit operation, the time limit for operation, farm machinery inventory, etc, measure and calculate the quantity, structure and deployment of farm machinery for distribution, in order to scientifically and rationally plan the distribution of farm machinery for tobacco production. Enditem