Baise, Guangxi Promotes Standardized Sugarcane Planting for Efficient Mechanized Harvesting

As the critical sugarcane planting season unfolds, large tractors are efficiently maneuvering planting machinery across the fields of a sugarcane base in Pozao Town, Pingguo City, Baise, Guangxi. The perfectly straight rows and uniform plant spacing illustrate a new landscape of modern agriculture. Since the spring of 2026, Baise City has been vigorously promoting standardized sugarcane planting techniques, focusing on agronomic models suitable for mechanization, such as wide row spacing, deep plowing, deep planting, and high ridging. Agricultural machinery technicians are working closely with growers, guiding them to implement key technical indicators like planting row spacing, depth, and fertilization ratios, ensuring that newly planted sugarcane meets mechanization requirements from the outset. According to the Baise Agricultural Mechanization Service Center, as of March 25th, the city has completed over 80,000 mu of new sugarcane planting, with standardized planting accounting for more than 50% of the total. This marks a significant shift for Baise's sugarcane production, moving away from traditional manual labor towards modernization. This year, Guangxi has innovatively introduced a 'planting for harvest' management concept for sugarcane production. This policy offers subsidies of 60 to 200 yuan per mu for fields with standardized mechanical planting row spacing of 1.2 meters or more, and 60 to 300 yuan per mu for mechanized harvesting. Baise City has actively responded by integrating 'planting for harvest' with standardized planting, guiding sugar enterprises to sign purchase and sales contracts with growers. Mechanically harvested sugarcane receives priority for factory entry and settlement. Furthermore, farmers committed to full mechanization receive preferential subsidies for improved varieties and methods, agricultural machinery purchases, and agricultural material support. Mr. Tang, a sugarcane farmer, shared, "In the past, sugarcane planting relied on experience, and narrow row spacing prevented large harvesters from entering the fields during harvest season, leading to high manual harvesting costs and low profits. This year, with standardized planting and government subsidies, my planting costs have decreased, and mid-season field management is easier. I am confident in increasing my yield." The head of Pingguo City's Agricultural Machinery Center noted that 98% of new sugarcane planting in Pingguo City now adheres to standardized practices. Ensuring adequate row spacing and well-leveled land is crucial for achieving fast, low-loss, and cost-effective mechanized harvesting by year-end. Standardized planting not only facilitates mechanized harvesting but also optimizes costs across the entire industry chain. It is estimated that promoting standardized planting and mechanized harvesting can reduce labor costs by approximately 300 to 500 yuan per mu in sugar production. To ensure the effective implementation of standardized planting, Baise City has intensified its efforts to integrate agricultural machinery with agronomic practices. To date, over 30 training sessions on standardized sugarcane planting and mechanized harvesting techniques have been conducted, training more than 2,400 sugarcane farmers and machine operators. Additionally, by leveraging sugar enterprises and agricultural machinery cooperatives, a comprehensive托管 (entrusted management) service model, including 'entrusted plowing, planting, management, and harvesting,' has been promoted, effectively solving the challenge for some smallholders who desire standardization but lack the know-how. Under the guidance of the 'planting for harvest' model, Baise City's sugarcane planting layout has become more scientific and rational, mechanical operation efficiency has significantly improved, and the connection between production and sales is tighter. These uniformly standardized fields not only embody farmers' hopes for a bountiful harvest but also foreshadow a smooth and unhindered operation of roaring harvesters in the upcoming crushing season, injecting new vitality into the sugar industry.