As one of the main grain producing areas in China, large grain growers have risen rapidly in recent years. By the end of 2007, there were large grain growers with an area of over 50 mu 14686 households, and the cultivated land area was1990,000 mu. In order to study the development status, functions and existing problems of large grain growers, the author conducted a sample survey of large grain growers in 7 cities 10 counties (cities, districts) such as Maanshan, Anhui Province. In the investigation scheme, the age, education level, business scale, contract type, economic benefits, social benefits and problems are designed, aiming at putting forward countermeasures and suggestions to support the development of large grain growers on the basis of investigation and analysis.
I. Types and characteristics of large grain growers
The sample survey of * * * on 1 1 large grain growers is representative, although the sample size is small, so it can explain the problem.
The analysis of survey data shows that large grain growers can be divided into four types: one is standardized contracting type. This kind of large household has long contract period, stable management right, mostly more than 10 years, large lease area, contiguous concentration; Most of the leased land is non-agricultural cultivated land such as collective plots and farms, or after farmers' cultivated land is transferred from towns and villages, large households sign land lease contracts with towns and villages collectively, with sound cadastral information and standardized contracts; Strong economic strength, relatively high rent for farmers and high management level. Second, technology contracting. This kind of large family often does not really sign a land lease contract with farmers, but has an agreement with farmers. The planting scale is large, and the form of unified planting, scientific management, income sharing and distribution to households is adopted. Third, the loose lease type. The main characteristics of this kind of large households are short contract period, scattered plots and "flower arrangement" phenomenon; The contract is not standardized, and there are only verbal agreements. From the field investigation, there are differences in varieties, sowing dates, sowing amounts and fertilization levels planted in the field, and the growth of crops in the field is also inconsistent. Fourth, the nature of the contracted land is difficult to determine. Most of the land contracted by such large households is non-arable, and some of them belong to ecologically fragile areas, wetlands or flood storage areas, which are not allowed or suitable for development due to the constraints of national policies.
The survey data shows that large grain growers have the following characteristics: First, they have high cultural quality and certain social influence. Technical secondary schools and senior high schools account for more than 90% of the education level, and the general cultural quality is relatively high. They were awarded the titles of national grain grower, provincial grain production model and provincial grain producer respectively. Among them, 1 person won the title of national model worker, and 3 people won the title of provincial model worker. Most of them are deputies to the National People's Congress and CPPCC members at the provincial, city and county levels, and they have great social influence. Second, the scale of operation is large and the land is relatively concentrated. 1 1 household, there are 1 household with an area of over 7,000 mu, 4 households with an area of 5,000-7,000 mu, 3,000-5,000 mu, and 1 household with an area of 1000 mu. From the age structure, there are 2 households aged 30-39, 5 households aged 40-49, 65,438+0 households aged 50-59, and 2 households over 60. Young adults aged 30-49 reach 73%, which is the main body of large grain growers. Fourth, it has good operating efficiency and certain economic strength. Judging from the investigation of management benefit, the scale benefit of growing grain is very obvious. Large grain growers generally have legal entities at the same time, engaged in the processing, purchase and sale of agricultural products and aquaculture other than grain production, and have certain economic strength.
Second, the role of large grain growers and the main problems they face
The survey data show that large grain growers play a very important role in grain production and rural economic development, mainly in the following aspects: First, land scale management has been realized, and the utilization rate and output rate of land have been improved. At present, the small-scale production of one household in rural areas has seriously hampered the development of rural productive forces and is incompatible with modern agriculture. The emergence of large grain growers has promoted the scale and intensification of grain production, effectively solved the phenomenon of rural land abandonment, and improved the utilization rate and output rate of land. The second is to stabilize the grain planting area and promote grain production. The 1 1 large households in this survey not only mainly grow food crops now, but also assume that the future development is to continue to engage in food crop production by improving production conditions, breeding new varieties, popularizing new technologies, increasing production and quality, and increasing income. Third, it has promoted the transfer of rural labor force and driven farmers to increase their income and become rich. Large grain growers concentrated some land management rights, which effectively promoted the transfer of rural labor force. Farmers go to work in cities to get higher income, and at the same time transfer their land to large households to get land rent not lower than the income from farming. In addition, large households can also provide local jobs for laborers who cannot go out to work, which increases the wage income of local farmers.
The survey results also show that there are still many factors that seriously restrict the further development of large grain growers. First, the infrastructure conditions of farmland leased by large grain growers are generally poor, and their ability to resist natural disasters is weak. Outstanding performance is: the drainage and irrigation system is not perfect, the facilities are not matched, the mechanical equipment is aging, and the ditches are seriously blocked. In addition, inconvenient transportation, poor roads, aging rural wires and poor storage conditions are the most urgent needs of large households to improve. Second, agricultural technology services are not in place, which restricts the improvement of output and efficiency. Large grain growers generally have not received systematic professional training and learning, and they don't know much about new agricultural technologies, and their scientific grain production level is low. They urgently need technical training and help from experts in agricultural technology departments, especially in variety selection, pest control, formula fertilization, field management, standardized production and so on, hoping to get timely guidance from experts and agricultural technicians. Third, the degree of agricultural mechanization is still low, and the production cost of large households is high. The agricultural mechanization in the main links of rice and wheat production is not enough, especially the mechanical transplanting of rice. Due to the constraints of input, cultivated land conditions and agronomic measures, the current mechanical transplanting rate is generally low and the production cost of large households is high. Fourth, lack of funds, financing difficulties. On the one hand, we need to pay considerable rental fees, buy seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and other means of production, and at the same time hire labor and pay wages; On the other hand, bank loans are difficult. At present, the rural credit procedures are complicated and the loan amount is small. At the same time, farmland cannot be mortgaged, and most large households cannot enjoy bank loans. Fifth, the land contract is not standardized, which affects sustainable development. Some contracts are only verbal agreements, and there is no written contract. Disputes in the production process are constant, some of which are short-term and unstable, which affects the enthusiasm of large households to invest in farmland infrastructure. Sixth, the price of production qualification has risen too fast and the operating efficiency has declined. In the past two years, the prices of agricultural materials such as fertilizers, pesticides and seeds have generally increased by more than 15% annually. In 2007, fertilizers such as compound fertilizer increased by nearly 40%. At the same time, the labor price also rose from 30 yuan -40 yuan to 50 yuan -60 yuan every day, which seriously affected the direct economic benefits of growing grain. Seventh, the risk of grain production is high and the agricultural insurance system is not perfect. Large households generally have a strong demand for food production insurance. However, due to the lack of effective policy support, agricultural insurance is still in its infancy [3].
Third, support the development of large grain farmers countermeasures and suggestions
Supporting the development of large grain growers is an urgent need to ensure the stable development of grain production and national food security, an effective means to promote large-scale production and intensive management, an important measure to promote the application of science and technology, structural adjustment and farmers' prosperity, and an important way to change the mode of agricultural development and promote the transformation of rural production relations. But at present, large grain growers still face many problems, and the author thinks that the following measures can be taken to solve them to support the further development of large grain growers.
(1) Improve the agricultural subsidy system and support the development of large grain growers.
In 2008, the central government decided to further increase policy support for agriculture and food production. The budget allocated 562.5 billion yuan for agriculture, rural areas and farmers, an increase of 65438+307 billion yuan over the previous year. On the basis of this, the central government increased its investment by 25.25 billion yuan, mainly for direct subsidies to farmers, and adopted ten important measures to support agriculture and grain production. Among them, the subsidies related to grain production are: (2) to increase the subsidy for improved varieties by 5 billion yuan and expand the scope of subsidies. (3) The increased incentive funds in major grain, oil and meat producing counties will be used for discount, and the incentive funds will be increased by 4.6 billion yuan, focusing on supporting the development of discount loans for the production, circulation and processing of grain, oil and meat and subsidies for agricultural insurance premiums.
Considering the shortage of funds, high cost of grain production and high risk of grain production caused by the excessive increase of agricultural prices, it is suggested that the incremental funds of the above-mentioned comprehensive agricultural subsidies, improved varieties subsidies, loan interest subsidies and agricultural insurance premium subsidies be further tilted to large grain growers in order to mobilize their enthusiasm for grain production, increase their input in grain production and increase their grain output. In addition, we should further innovate the agricultural insurance system, gradually establish a policy-based food insurance prevention system, and carry out wheat and rice planting insurance for large households with a certain scale, and the premium will be shared by the government and large households.
Considering that large grain growers face the problems of nonstandard land contract and high land transfer cost, it is suggested that land transfer subsidies should be started at the same time as standardizing the land contract system. The basic idea is to provide land transfer subsidies to small farmers who have subcontracted their land to large grain growers for a long time. This can not only mobilize the enthusiasm of small farmers for land transfer, but also reduce the cost of subcontracting land for large farmers to a certain extent, so that the land can be further concentrated in large grain growers and realize large-scale and intensive management of grain production.
Considering that the agricultural mechanization level of large grain growers is still low, resulting in high production costs, it is suggested that the central government further increase subsidies for agricultural machinery and tools, and all incremental funds will be invested in large grain growers to improve their agricultural mechanization level.
(two) through scientific and technological support, project driven, improve the production conditions of large grain growers.
Considering the problems faced by large grain growers, such as inadequate agricultural technology services and poor conditions for renting farmland infrastructure, it is suggested that relevant departments organize relevant industry experts to provide comprehensive technical guidance, training and services to large grain growers. For large grain growers, it is best to determine a special person to serve at the station; In addition, it is suggested that the relevant departments implement agricultural projects, such as tackling key problems of high-yield wheat, improving rice quality and enriching grain, and bring large households into the construction of core demonstration areas; Soil testing and formula fertilization, improved seed base construction, agricultural science and technology household projects and new farmer training projects should be tilted towards large grain growers; Comprehensive agricultural development projects should choose large-scale and concentrated large households for project construction. In order to improve the technical level of large grain growers, improve production conditions, reduce grain production costs and increase grain output.