The Current Situation And The Strategies For Future Development Of The Grass Industry In Suzhou District Of Jiuquan City

Developing the grass industry is an effective way to adjust the agricultural structure, increase the income of farmers, improve the ecological environment and realize sustainable development. In recent years, based on projects restoring and developing of natural grass land and stopping farming for grass growing; with aims to improve ecological environment, exploit livestock, grass and milk industry, push sustainable development of agriculture, grass was taken as an industry and tactics of taking grass industry as development basis was put in to effect, which made a rapid expansion of grass industry basis. As a result, the development structure as a combination of planting , processing and selling of grass industry formed, which, in turn accelerated its development. Up to 2004, 12 new grass species of high quality were introduced and planted; The total grass growing area covered 1,650,000 Mu; 155 livestock raising farms amounting to at least 100 were established; There were 8 grass growing plots covering up to 500 Mu, and 34 example grass growing areas each covering 1000 Mu; Towns as development basis were set up including 6 towns which had grass land covering a total area of over 10000 Mu, 4 over 7000 Mu and 4 over 5000Mu. In whole Suzhou district, land areas used for growing crops for money, food and grass reached a ratio of 62:28:10.while the grass industry was gaining a rapid growth, many other problems showed clearly, such as small and scattering grass planting plots, careless planting and unsystematic managing, low ratio of high quality grass species, high level of quality differences among products, deficiency of grass gathering and processing equipments, low utilization rates of grass and short industry series. Directing to these problems, the development of grass industry in Suzhou district should be based on specialized managing strategy to strengthen collective production and regional distribution; to be directed by the principles of combination of the strategies of stopping fanning for grass renewal and alternate grass planting, of economic and ecologic benefits, and, of every families' grass planting and livestock raising and scaled industries; to put emphasis on construction of both exporting bases of grass products and example husbandry bases; to stick to the strategies of developing regional and scaled grass planting, introducing and cultivating of new grass species, and applying advanced techniques and setting up of leading enterprises. Based on the analysis of developing trend of grass industry, strategies for future flourishing of grass industry in Suzhou disrrict were put forward. First, grass should be taken as an industry and the concept should be popularized. Second, farming be stopped for grass growing and the three-elements planting structure for food, money and grass at the same time be realized. Third, importance be put on grass industry by breeding going first. Fourth, industrialized development model of grass industry be explored. Fifth, supports on grass industry be made by more money inputting and politically. Sixth, grass-livestock-milk be combined as a whole to lengthen industry series. Seventh, the market system be completed and rationalized. And last, management be improved scientifically.