Xing Huina:

The floor is now open to questions. Please identify the news agency you represent before raising questions. 

CCTV:

Xinjiang has demonstrated unique strengths in producing agricultural and animal husbandry products, including grain, cotton, fruit, beef and mutton. What are your considerations for developing modern agriculture in Xinjiang? Thank you.

Erkin Tuniyaz:

Thank you for the question. I will answer it myself. As the lyrics of "The Wonderful Xinjiang" depict, there are excellent pastures to the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains; rocky areas and deserts have been transformed into fertile fields; and grapes, melons, and other fruits taste exceptionally sweet. Xinjiang has unique advantages for carrying out our work on agriculture, rural areas and farmers. Thanks to its unique photo-thermal conditions and soil and water resources, Xinjiang has achieved coordinated and efficient water resource utilization. Last year, the grain planting area reached 42.372 million mu (about 2.825 million hectares), an increase of 5.863 million mu, accounting for more than 60% of the total increase nationwide. Grain output stood at 42.38 billion jin, increasing by 6.11 billion jin, accounting for more than 30% of the national increase, with a per unit area output of 1,000 jin. The increases in planting area and grain output ranked first nationwide for two consecutive years, and grain output per unit area ranked second across the country. As a national base for producing quality cotton, Xinjiang's total output and per unit area output of cotton have both ranked first nationally for 30 years in a row. Through these achievements, Xinjiang has ensured food security for locals and positively contributed to ensuring the national security of grain and other important agricultural products.

From a new starting point, we will adhere to our goals for developing strengths in agriculture, spare no effort to build an important national base to supply quality agricultural and animal husbandry products, and implement the major strategy of all-around rural revitalization through solid steps. First, we will further improve the capacity to supply grain and other important agricultural products. Utilizing favorable natural and climate conditions as well as ample farmland, we will explore the potential of water resources, striving to maintain a total cotton output of more than 5 million metric tons and increase grain output by at least 2 billion jin this year. We are creating a "granary in western China" and aim to provide more Xinjiang-produced grain to feed the country. Second, we will make special efforts to step up the clustered development of agriculture and related industries, involving grain and oil, cotton, textile and apparel, green and organic fruit and vegetables, and quality animal husbandry products. We will empower leading enterprises, complete industrial chains, foster new business formats, and cultivate famous brands, with the aim of quickly establishing a modern agricultural industrial system. You may have heard Xinjiang folk songs extolling local fruit products, such as grapes from Turpan, melons from Hami, and fragrant pears from Korla. Xinjiang will continue to build its reputation as a land of fruits, promoting more quality agricultural products to become household names, such as Kashgar pomegranates, Aksu apples, and Hotan jujubes. It is also well known that Xinjiang produces quality beef and mutton, as the cattle and sheep here drink melted snow water flowing down the Tianshan Mountains and eat natural grass. Xinjiang's lamb skewers have gained national fame. We will enhance advantageous famous brands, expand marketing channels, and provide more people with quality animal husbandry products from Xinjiang. Third, we will enhance the provision of farmland, water resources, and scientific and technological strengths, among other factors. We will firmly promote the development of high-standard cropland and high-efficiency, water-saving irrigation, carry out action to revive the seed industry, and increase efforts to develop core agricultural technologies regarding high-yield cultivation and the prevention and control of crop pests and diseases. We aim to accelerate high-quality agricultural development and enable farmers and herders to steadily increase their income and wealth while benefiting from the achievements of rural revitalization. That's all I have to say; thank you all!