Analysis Of Wheat Production And Comparative Advantages In Sichuan Province

Wheat is one of the main food crops in China.Since 2012,the annual output and consumption of wheat in China have reached 120 million tons,respectively,ranking first in the world.Sichuan province is one of important wheat producing area in China,and its annual output,sown area and unit output of wheat rank the sixth in Chinese wheat planting area.Wheat,as the third important food crop in Sichuan province,has kept its annual output increasing year by year in recent years,and its sowing area has kept relatively stable,but it has declined slightly in recent three years.Wheat production level is closely related to rural economic development,the farmers' income and wealth,as well as to the stability of food market price and food security.The present situation and trend of wheat production and development have great influence on increasing farmers' income and wealth,the long-term development of rural economy and the optimization of rural industries in Sichuan.At the same time,it is also related to the stability of wheat production and food crops market in China,as wheat production is plays an important role in national food security.In order to fully understand the current situation of wheat production in Sichuan,this study analyzed the variation of wheat yield,sowing area and total yield in Sichuan from 2006 to 2015 by means of data investigation and analysis,wave analysis,cost advantage analysis and comparative advantage analysis,and also compared with the national average and related indicators of main wheat producing areas,and put forward opinions and suggestions to promote the further development of wheat production in Sichuan.The main results are as follows:(1)The sown area of wheat in Sichuan province has been declining slowly,with the yield per unit area and annual output increasing continuously in recent 20 years,but all of them are lower than the national average values.The average percentage of wheat sown area in Sichuan province was about 5.0 % in China in recent ten years.Although the unit yield level has increased in recent years,it has maintained a relative stable period since 2013,and the unit yield of wheat has increased steadily and dramatically,and reaching the highest level,3809.7 kg / ha,in 2015.At the same time,the annual wheat yield in Sichuan province was comprehensively influenced by the sown area and the yield per unit area,which has fluctuated and increased in recent 20 years.In 2007,it reached the highest value yield with 4.157 million t,in the history of wheat production of Sichuan,and it was never surpassed in the next decade.For wheat quality,wheat varieties with weak-gluten have already been used,but wheat cultivars with strong-gluten were very scarce found in wheat production.(2)The annual wheat yield in Sichuan province fluctuates greatly,and the fluctuation index shows obvious periodic changes,with three main characteristics: short-term fluctuations,negative valleys,and the larger fluctuation amplitude.The average wheat yield in Sichuan province takes three years as a complete fluctuation period.During 1996-2015,the wheat yield in Sichuan province had been experienced for six complete fluctuation period changes,but now it was located in the expansion stage of the 6 cycles.The results of the grey relational analysis suggested that the close degree between the annual wheat yield and sowing area was higher than that between the annual wheat yield and wheat yield per area in Sichuan province.(3)The cost-profit ratio of wheat in Sichuan province has decreased,and the economic benefits obtained by wheat planting by wheat farmers have obviously decreased.The analysis of the cost composition of wheat production showed that the rising of material and service costs and the soaring of labor costs were the two most important reasons for the decrease of the cost-return rate.The rising of agricultural materials costs was still within a reasonable range,but the increase of labor costs was too large in Sichuan province.(4)The comparative advantage index of wheat in Sichuan province was less than 1,showed a fluctuating change,and the overall trend was declining year by year.The comparative advantage of wheat production in Sichuan province was lower than the national average level.Wheat crop production did not have absolute advantages over other food crops in Sichuan province.The average value of comprehensive superiority index of wheat in Sichuan province in recent 11 years is 0.799,which was lower than 1.The ratios of wheat production(yield per unit area,sown area and total yield)to the overall food crops production in Sichuan province were significantly lower than those national wheat production levels.The annual average value of wheat comprehensive priority index was less than the average value of rice 1.144,and far less than the average value of rape 1.698,but greater than the average value of corn 0.795.It suggested that wheat still did not occupy the dominant position compared with other food crops in Sichuan,but it also suggested that wheat production still had some advantages in Sichuan.(5)Under the new era background of agriculture,if wheat production of Sichuan will be accelerated for the transformation from traditional agriculture to modern agriculture,it needs the strong support of new agricultural policy.At the same time,the farmers should meet the most practical needs of the market,optimize wheat varieties and improve wheat quality.Through the popularization and application of agricultural technology,the wheat planting cost and artificial loss will reduced,the extension and deepening of the wheat industrial chain will strengthened,the comprehensive progress of profound processing industry will prompted,and the overall management level of wheat market will improved.These methods will promote the scientific and sustainable development of wheat production in Sichuan province.