Rice In South China, Land Characteristics, Farmers Planting Patterns

Rice has a dominant position in grain production and consumption in China, the yield and Stability of rice on food security has an important significance. Rice production is faced with new changes. on the one hand, the trend of “the Concurrently Industrialization” is evident, Multi-cropping index decline and the trend of Switching Single Season to double cropping rice did not reverse. On the other hand, the employment service level of rice is increasing, but regional development unbalanced, there is still potential to increase the level of mechanization in rice. What's more, the Cropping patterns and Farming methods are governed by its own land property, therefore, how to improve the land characteristics and transform environment of rice production, Increase rice yield and production efficiency, has become the focus of society and academics.This paper, through the micro-level perspective to explore the impact of land characteristics on Cropping patterns and Farming methods of rice farmers in south China. Firstly, this paper describes the status of the contract and operation of paddy fields of a sample survey to the region. And then take a comparative analysis of divergences of the Cropping patterns and processes of tillage, sowing/transplanting, drugging and harvesting under the distinct dimensions of land characteristics. We also analyze Land productivity, labor productivity and economic efficiency. By constructing econometric models, focusing on household fixed effects to analyze the impact of land characteristics of each dimension on Cropping patterns and Farming methods. And put forward policy recommendations.The main conclusions in this paper are:(1)There are significant discrepancy in the production efficiency and economic efficiency in the land characteristics of each dimension. Those fields with characteristics of relatively flat, close to home, close to the tractor road, good irrigation, excellent soil and non-Cold Waterlogged Fields have better productivity and economic.(2) The way of labor input are divergence under the distinct dimensions of land characteristics. The fields that hilly land, far from home, machines cannot enter, Completely unable to irrigate, low soil quality and Cold Waterlogged Fields need to invest more labor and employment services, but capital goods does not have the advantage.(3) Land characteristic affect Cropping patterns of rice. Considering households fixed effect, as the temperature of Cold Waterlogged Fields Water is low, the soil is sticky; or totally dependent on rainfall; or irrigation and transportation of the field that far from home is inconvenient, with low soil quality, farmers tend to grow Single Season rice. While the yield of those fields on the hills is low, retains the traditional double cropping rice.(4) Land characteristic affect the choice of farming methods. Fields in hilly with steep slope, lack of tractor road, poor irrigation, soil sticky and soft, poor soil quality, increasing the cost of machines for tillage and harvesting, farmers tend to manual operation. The influences of land characteristics on planting mode was not significant, because the farmers takes unified management to Direct- Seeding or seedlings, and has a wide applicable scope. The hilly plots that scattered and the road is not smooth, farmers should spend more time to drugs and labor-intensive, tend electric / motorized drugs.(5) In addition, the characteristics of farmer household, head of household and possess of fixed assets will strengthen or weaken the relationship between land characteristics and cropping patterns, farming methods. Based on the above conclusions, we argue that firstly, it should be further implementing national regulatory policies of capital goods of rice, Improving rice grain purchase price policy and subsidies, to reduce Farmers costs and raise the enthusiasm of rice production. Secondly, it should be consummating policies of rural land transfer market, promote the appropriate scale management, guaranteeing Rice acreage and elevate the comprehensive level of mechanization. Again it should promote the comprehensive consolidation of paddy field, through fertigation and soil reclamation,consummate plowing roads and irrigation channel construction,elevate multi-cropping index and labor productivity.