Analysis On Input-Output And Household Technology Needs Of Paddy Rice Production In Southern China

Household is the main body of paddy rice production and the agricultural technology users. Investigating rice production behavior of farmers and their needs of agricultural technology help understand the current situation of paddy rice production in southern China, but also find out the technological development direction in the future. By conducting a 303-households survey and relevant key informations interview, this study investigates rice production and rice farmers' technological needs in southern China. The main findings include the followings:(1) The yield of early rice, rice and late rice in 2005 are 5,289 kg/ha, 6,995 kg/ha and 5,280 kg/ha in the surveyed disticts, the labor input is less than the national average; fertilizer invested is less than the national input, but the fertilizer cost is higher; The pesticide cost is 300-450 RMB/ha more than the national average input, and the material cost is a little higher. There are some differences in these disticts, the rice yield in Jianli and Qingzhen Conuty is higher and the inputs are relatively lower; the rice yield in Tongling Conuty is lower and the inputs are relatively higher(2) In the current paddy rice production, The paddy rice planting area and the cultivated land quality are the key factors in rice production; Rice varieties have significantly effects on rice production, and agricultural research and development of varieties that better suits the local environments are important; the nitrogenous fertilizer is invested excessively, the potassium fertilizer is invested insufficiently, and the fertilizer use structure is unreasonable; Agricultural chemicals are invested excessively and these are not economically feasible to rice production. On the use of agricultural chemicals, 78%, 75% and 69% surveyed households think that the excessive and unreasonable use of agricultural chemicals makes the soil more harden, the environment polluted seriously and the product quanlity worse; The use of prohibited agricultural chemicals harms human health in a great degree.(3) The difference in rice cultivation and management practices and in soil conditions are the key factors leading to different paddy rice yield, while the difference in rice varieties, seed quality and the inputs also play important role; 48%, 40% and 25% surveyed households think that the poor agricultural infrastructure, the high production costs and the lack of agricultural technologies (particularly the advance cultivation and management practices) limit the development of agricultural production. (4) The agricultural technology needs of rice farmers should be center focused. These needs include new varieties resistant to plant disease, labor saving technologies, and agricultural chemicals. In the crop variety characters investigation, 51%, 34%, 15% of the surveyed households put high yield, good quality and resistance at the first place for selecting.Based on above investigation, to optimize rice farmers' production behavior and to satisfy agricultural technology needs, the paper proposes corresponding policy suggestions.