China has made notable progress in agricultural modernization during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021–2025), Han Jun, the country's Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said on Monday.

Han Jun, Chinese Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, speaks at the "Ministers' Corridor" in Beijing, China, March 9, 2026. (Photo: VCG)

Speaking at the second "Ministers' Corridor" interview on the sidelines of the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress, Han said China's agricultural technology and equipment have improved significantly.

The contribution rate of agricultural science and technology has exceeded 64%, the coverage rate of improved crop varieties has surpassed 96%, and the comprehensive mechanization rate for crop cultivation, planting and harvesting has reached 76.7%. The entire production process of major grain crops has now achieved full mechanization.

China is also accelerating the intelligent and digital transformation of agriculture, with a variety of smart equipment playing an increasingly important role in farming.

Last year, more than 300,000 drones were used in agricultural production in China – the highest number in the world – serving farmland covering 460 million mu (about 30.7 million hectares). Smart harvesting robots, intelligent irrigation robots and AI-powered laser weeding robots have also been used in agricultural production, Han said.