Breeding paddies pad farmers' pay

In an autumn rice frog co-breeding base in mid-November in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, rice stalks sway in a light breeze while frogs croak in a cacophonous chorus.

Seeing this new-type agricultural industry that combines traditional rice planting with frog breeding, farmer Zhang Kaihua in Chun'an county beamed with satisfaction, saying, "This year's rice grains are plump and full, and the yield will definitely see a new breakthrough."

With a history of over 5,000 years and now acting as a semi-provincial level city, Hangzhou administers 10 districts, one county-level city and two counties including Chun'an, and sticks to a strategy of "letting the fields bring more benefits", making progress in elevating its status as a city with agricultural heft.

While developing new-type planting and breeding areas covering 7,200 hectares in 2023 — which helped farmers increase their incomes by more than 250 million yuan ($35.2 million) — the city also netted a total output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and aquaculture of 53.4 billion yuan in 2023, a year-on-year increase of 3.8 percent.

Zhang said the new method can not only help increase crop yields, but also reduce environmental pollution.

During the critical period for rice harvesting, employees of State Grid Chun'an County Power Supply Co are busy running about the rice paddies bringing much-needed power services to farmers and ensuring reliable power supplies for the autumn harvest.

Jiang Jun, an employee, said State Grid Chun'an has designated key power-checking zones based on its daily data collection, sending employees to conduct comprehensive "physical examinations "of agricultural lines and power supply equipment in the county, and trying to eliminate all safety hazards.

Earlier, State Grid Chun'an established WeChat service groups with each village and residential community as well as growers in the county, reminding them to pay attention to power safety.

Jiang said State Grid Chun'an will open more green channels for power supply, promoting online electricity supply services to help every user and applicant have access to timely power supplies.