A STUDY ON AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION IN THE PEARL RIVER DELTA OF GUANGDONG PROVINCE

The standard of agricultural mechanization is one of the important indicators for measuring the realized degrees of agricultural modernization in some regions. The Pearl river delta is most fertile, and thereby reputed as a land of fish and rice in the province. Studying the proceedings, profits and experiences of agricultural mechanization in the region obviously possesses the generally guiding significance for Guangdong to realize agricultural modernization by the year 2010. this paper involves these fields such as duainage, irrigation, harrowing, harvesting, transportation, processing and etc, in the Pearl River Delta, Results show as follows: (1) 80% work load in main production links has been mechanized ; (2) changed took place in traditionally agricultural production means and ways so took place in traditional agricultural production means and ways so that individual farmer in this region became commercial producer and then march toward commodity production of moderniza ion with high yields, good guality and high profits ; (3) further taping production potential to improve land output and labour productivity. Results also show that the degrees of agricultural mechanization in the Pearl River Delta are closely related to government' spolices, finance, moderate land scale management, rural industrialization and machine utility as well as talent training, shortage of which will surely; affect the proceeding of agricultural mechanization. Therefore, government must be urged to guarantee it by preferential policies and financial loan so as to greatly run rural industry, to create conditions for land scale management, to set up the socialized service system of agricultural mechanization, to actively train scientific talents and to introduce advanced equipments and technology from aborad in order to quicken the progress of agricultural mechanization in this regions.