Spatial Distribution Transferring Of China's Main Cotton Production Areas From 1980 To 2002

The development of cotton production of China not only plays an important role in increasing income of two hundred million cotton producers, but also affects the economic development of dozen of provinces which are main cotton production regions, affects the improviment inChina's competitiveness of cotton and textile production, textile import and export and Chinese economic developing. In this paper, the factors bringing out the change of the location of China's cotton production under the openning door policy is analyzed for government optimizing China's cotton production location, improving the competitiveness of cotton industry and adjusting the cotton supply and demand in China.On one hand, the spatial distribution change of Chinese main cotton production regions from 1980 to 2002 is analyzed by statistics and geographic information system, on the other hand, the analysis frame is set up based both on the theory of comparative advantage and on location economics, and then factors such as economic, nature, technology, policy etc which might cause the change are analyzed. Finally, how to adjust Chinese main cotton production areas and the relevant policy of are put forwards. The researching results as follows:The cotton planting areas in Hubei, Sichuan, Jiangsu and Shanxi are decreasing sharply, but the areas in Shandong, Hebei and Xinjiang is increasing rapidly in 1980's. In 1990's, the areas in Sichuan and Jiangsu; Hubei, Sichuan, Jiangsu and Shanxi are go on shrinking and the areas of Shandong, Hebei are decreasing rapidly, but the area of Xinjiang is increasing sharply.The change of spatial distribution of China's cotton production results from the change in economic, nature, technology and policy .Firstly, the change of comparative benefit and the growth of employment out of agriculture is the direct reason that causes the change. Secondly, the comparative benefit of cotton production is mainly decided by natural condition resulting in the change, meantime, the variation of natural condition and calamity occurring frequently cause the change. Thirdly, the progress of technology that affects the comparative benefits between foodstuff and cotton production is one of the most important reasons that bring out the sharp increase in the cotton planting area of Shandong and Hebei in the beginning of 1980's and that lead to cotton planting area shrinking in some southern regions, such as in Hubei during 1985 and 1990. The progress not only achieve better economic results of cotton production in Xinjiang, but also improves its foodstuff unit yield that leads to foodstuff supply surplus makimg some foodstuff fields change into cotton fields. Next, under the policy of price made by Chinese government, the adjustment of cotton price and cotton sale reward inevitably results in the unbalance in development of regional cotton production, because the level of economic developing, natural condition and progress of technology is quite different in different regions. Additionally, the differential policy made by the government affects the economic benefits of the main cotton production regions.The research shows that the factors, such as economic, nature, technology, policy play different parts in the change of the spatial distribution in different cotton production regionsin different time.The adjustment of Chinese main cotton production areas as follows: Firstly, the area of cotton planting should be reduced further in Sichuan, but the areas of cotton planting should be enlarged in some places, such as in Xiangfan basin of Hubei, in the hills of Jiangsu and Anhui and in salinization coastal regions of Jiangsu. Secondly, the areas should be increased in the some places, such as in the Huaibei plain, in the south of Hebei, in the north-west of Shandong, in the south-east of Henan and in the Nanyang basin of Henan, but the area should be reduced in the east of Hebei. Thirdly, the development of the cotton production in Xinjiang as follows: ( i ) The cotton planting area should be further increased in the south of Xinjiang, and th...