On March 17th, at the Poli Market, large-scale grain grower Liu Qizheng was carefully studying a pamphlet on green agricultural supplies distributed by the local Supply and Marketing Cooperative. A long-time grower of wheat and corn, Liu is one of the farmers benefiting from this outreach initiative. "In the past, I relied on experience when buying agricultural supplies. Now, I can learn techniques right at my doorstep, understanding how to choose good fertilizers and use pesticides correctly. I feel much more confident," he said. That day, the municipal Supply and Marketing Cooperative seized the opportunity of the crowded rural market to conduct a science popularization event focused on "delivering products, technology, and services." Staff set up consultation desks, distributed pamphlets, and provided face-to-face guidance on "green agricultural supplies," scientific fertilization, and how to identify counterfeit products.
Xu Quanwei, Deputy Head of the Agriculture, Rural Areas, and Farmers Department at the West Coast New Area Supply and Marketing Cooperative, stated, "The spring farming season waits for no one. We deliberately brought our services to the market so that farmers can learn practical knowledge about agricultural supplies and master scientific planting techniques while they shop, saving time and ensuring they are on the right track. Subsequently, we will continue to regularly carry out promotional activities in villages and towns, delivering technology and services directly to farmers' doorsteps to support scientific and efficient spring farming."
Beyond the markets, agricultural technicians from the supply and marketing system are also going directly into the fields. They guide farmers in the scientific selection of organic fertilizers and low-toxicity, low-residue pesticides, assist with wheat top-dressing and pest control, and help solve production challenges, laying a solid foundation for a successful summer grain harvest.
The current period is a critical window for the green-up of wheat and the prime time for spring planting preparations. In recent days, the Qingdao Supply and Marketing Cooperative system has been thoroughly implementing the city's "Strengthen Spring Management, Promote Strong Seedlings, and Strive for a Bountiful Harvest" 100-day campaign. Adhering to the principles of acting early, being guided by green practices, and ensuring tangible results, the system is coordinating efforts to guarantee the supply of agricultural materials, provide green services, strengthen network construction, and enhance quality supervision, fully accelerating spring farming production to build a foundation for a successful summer harvest.
The city's supply and marketing system is closely monitoring key agricultural periods, such as the wheat green-up phase, and reinforcing mechanisms for procuring and transporting agricultural supplies. Leveraging the city-level Agricultural Materials Centralized Procurement and Supply Alliance, it has organized cooperative branches in various districts and cities to conduct field surveys to assess demand and allocate urgently needed materials like fertilizers and pesticides accordingly. By establishing a dynamic monitoring and early warning mechanism, the system exceeded its winter storage targets ahead of schedule. It has currently stockpiled over 13,000 metric tons of chemical fertilizer and more than 300 metric tons of pesticide, ensuring uninterrupted supply during critical periods and preparing ample "supplies" for agricultural tasks like wheat top-dressing.
How can agricultural supplies be both "available" and "delivered quickly"? The key lies in having a smooth distribution network. The city's supply and marketing system is accelerating the implementation of a special plan for building an agricultural materials network system. This aims to create a new county-level operational structure supported by agricultural materials enterprises, with county towns as hubs, townships as key points, and villages as end terminals. "In the past, farmers had to transport agricultural supplies themselves. Now, with just a phone call, our direct-delivery vehicles can drive right to the field edge, ensuring quality fertilizers and pesticides arrive without delaying the farming schedule," explained Gao Xuening, a staff member from the Modern Circulation Department of the municipal Supply and Marketing Cooperative, at the Zangma Agricultural Service Center in the West Coast New Area.
On one hand, the municipal Supply and Marketing Cooperative utilizes the advantages of its centralized procurement alliance. By optimizing distribution routes and refining the "leading enterprise centralized procurement + regional transfer + terminal direct delivery" mechanism, it ensures efficient delivery of supplies directly to the fields. On the other hand, it strictly adheres to quality and price standards, rigorously implementing a "two-ledgers, two-invoices, one-card, one-document" traceability system to cut off the circulation of counterfeit and substandard agricultural supplies at the source. Simultaneously, the Supply and Marketing Cooperative takes the lead in fulfilling its responsibility to ensure supply and stabilize prices, cooperating with relevant departments to crack down on practices that cheat and harm farmers.
Gao Xuening added, "Only by delivering solid services and building a reputable brand can farmers truly trust our Supply and Marketing Cooperative. This is what constitutes a real 'golden招牌' (prestigious reputation)."