10 March 2026, Beijing: China has significantly expanded the use of agricultural drones as part of its broader agricultural modernization efforts, according to data released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.
The ministry reported that the number of agricultural drones in operation across the country has exceeded 300,000 units, with their annual operational coverage surpassing 460 million mu of farmland. The increased use of drones reflects China’s growing reliance on technology to improve efficiency and support modern farming practices.
Alongside the adoption of digital technologies, China also continued to expand high-standard farmland across the country. In 2025, China completed the construction and renovation of 75.68 million mu (5.05 million hectares) of high-standard farmland. As a result, the total area of high-standard farmland nationwide has now exceeded 1 billion mu or 66.67 million hectares (1 mu = 0.0667 hectares; 1 hectare = 15 mu).
High-standard farmland refers to cultivated land that is equipped with improved infrastructure and facilities designed to ensure stable and high crop yields.
Data from the ministry also highlighted the role of science and technology in China’s agricultural progress. Scientific and technological advancements contributed more than 64 percent to the country’s agricultural output in 2025.
At the same time, the market share of domestically developed seed varieties has remained strong. Home-grown seed varieties accounted for over 80 percent of livestock and poultry seeds, 86 percent of aquatic product seeds, and 91 percent of vegetable seeds, according to the ministry’s data.
Mechanization has also continued to advance across China’s farming sector. The overall mechanization rate for crop cultivation, planting, and harvesting reached 76.7 percent in 2025, reflecting steady progress toward large-scale agricultural modernization.
During the Central Rural Work Conference held in December 2025, officials emphasized that agricultural and rural modernization is a key component of China’s broader modernization agenda. The conference called for continued efforts to promote the high-quality development of high-standard farmland across different regions and agricultural zones.
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