The cost of picking cotton in Xinjiang is ridiculously high, which has become a major pain point in China's cotton industry. As a major cotton producing area in China, Xinjiang accounts for the vast majority of the country's cotton production.
However, in the early days, cotton picking was mainly manual, which was as difficult as picking stars in the sky, time-consuming, labor-intensive, and frighteningly expensive.
Xinjiang's cotton status is leveraged, not bragging, and it has ranked first in the country in terms of output and yield for 30 consecutive years. Xinjiang's cotton output is not only large, but also of high quality, which is obvious to all.
It can be said that without Xinjiang's cotton, China's cotton industry would be a plate of scattered sand. However, despite this yield, the cost of cotton is still a headache.
In the early years, cotton picking was almost entirely manual. These cotton pickers come from all over the world, and in order to pick cotton, they have to endure high temperatures, wind and sand, and live in simple sheds, all of which are tiring and hard work.
Every year, thousands of cotton pickers flock to the cotton picking season, and the cost is staggering. Cotton farmers not only have to pay their workers' salaries, but also have to pay for food and housing, so that the cost of cotton goes up.
As the saying goes, "the wool comes out of the sheep", in the end, these costs are passed on to the market, affecting the competitiveness of cotton.
Speaking of which, I have to mention the cotton picker of John Deere in the United States. They are a big hit in the Chinese market, accounting for 70% of the market share. In some areas of southern Xinjiang, the proportion is as high as 90 percent.
That's an astronomical amount! Moreover, the price of these cotton pickers is ridiculously high, and the most expensive one even costs 7 million yuan. However, despite this, growers are still willing to buy because they are so efficient that they can greatly reduce labor costs.
After 2018, the situation began to change. The state has launched a subsidy policy for the purchase of agricultural machinery, which is really timely and has greatly promoted the development of domestic cotton pickers.
Domestic brands seized this opportunity, invested a lot of resources in research and development, and in less than three years, launched the world's highest level cotton picker. That's quite an achievement!
The advantages of domestic cotton pickers are obvious. First of all, in terms of efficiency, the harvest speed and net rate of the domestic 6-row cotton picker are better than similar products of John Deere.
Put simply, it's faster and cleaner. Secondly, in terms of price, the price of domestic cotton pickers has been greatly reduced after enjoying subsidies, and the cost performance is extremely high. This is undoubtedly a boon for growers.
In addition, the domestic cotton picker also provides convenient after-sales service. This is especially important because machines are always out of order, and thanks to a convenient after-sales service, growers can save a lot of trouble.
These advantages allowed domestic cotton pickers to quickly occupy the market, and John Deere's market share dropped from the original monopoly position to 26%.
This is not only a change in numbers, but also a big victory for Made in China. The rise of domestic cotton pickers has broken the market monopoly of the United States and given new hope to China's cotton industry.
It reminds me of the rise of high-speed rail in China. Once upon a time, China's high-speed rail technology was far behind Japan and Europe, but through continuous independent research and development and technological innovation, China's high-speed rail has not only caught up with the international level, but also surpassed it in some aspects. The rise of domestic cotton pickers is the same reason, through independent innovation, breaking the monopoly and achieving counterattack.
Of course, the rise of domestic cotton pickers has not been smooth sailing. During the research and development process, various technical problems were encountered. Some issues may seem inconsequential, but if not handled well, they can affect the overall performance of the machine.
The R&D team is not afraid of difficulties, rises to the occasion, and finally overcomes one technical difficulty after another through continuous testing and improvement.
As the saying goes, "the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold", the success of the domestic cotton picker is the result of the hard work of countless R&D personnel.
Another interesting thing is that with the popularity of domestic cotton pickers, more and more young people are beginning to pay attention to this field. Some college students have even set up scientific research teams to specialize in the improvement and innovation of cotton pickers.
They not only put forward many novel ideas in technology, but also made many useful attempts in marketing. This kind of participation of young people makes the future of domestic cotton pickers full of hope.
The rise of domestic cotton pickers not only broke the market monopoly of American cotton pickers, but also injected new vitality into China's cotton industry. Growers no longer have to worry about high labor costs and can grow cotton with more confidence.
In the future, we have reason to believe that with the continuous progress of science and technology, the opportunity of domestic cotton picking will become better and better, and it will become a bright pearl in the world cotton picking market. To support domestic brands is to support our future!
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