China combating soil polution
Their village in Suihua City was one of the pilot areas selected last year to promote black soil protection through erosion control and increased organic matter in soil.
"With the use of organic fertilizers, the chili peppers contain more vitamin C and taste good," said Pan, president of the Xinnuo fruit and vegetable cooperative.
Monday was World Soil Day. The black soil in China's northeast, which was once fertile, has been degraded in the region due to excessive use of chemical fertilizers and long-term cultivation, threatening stable output.
China hopes that by encouraging farmers to grow using organic fertilizer, and following restoration methods, that they can make more on average. They also hope to decrease use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides for crops. In November, nine provinces and regions, including Hunan, began to adopt fallow and crop rotation measures in pilot areas, covering 410,000 hectares of arable land.
source: ecns.cn
