Dialogue with Liu Yonghao: What will the next stage of agriculture look like?

Xinhuanet: This year's Central Document No. 1 explicitly calls for the "development of new agricultural productivity." What breakthroughs has New Hope achieved in smart agriculture and the application of AI technology? Can you share a particularly impressive digital agriculture case?

Liu Yonghao: Artificial intelligence is making a comprehensive inroads into the agricultural sector. Its application will promote the scale and modernization of agriculture.

Our country imports a large amount of soybeans annually, and reducing this import is a major issue. The biobreeding research and development team led by President Yan Jianbing of Huazhong Agricultural University has been able to increase the protein content of corn by 50%, thereby reducing soybean imports. New Hope has invested in this team and is collaborating with them on the cultivation and breeding of high-protein corn.

In addition, drawing on decades of accumulated data, we have implemented a concentrated feed fermentation project. This involves fermenting relatively low-quality protein ingredients, such as rapeseed meal, coconut meal, and cassava, into easily digestible protein, and then adding amino acids to replace soybean meal. This process can positively impact the growth of sows and, to a certain extent, reduce reliance on soybeans. This research project has been awarded the National Science and Technology Progress Award.

After years of hard work, we've been awarded eight National Science and Technology Progress Awards, demonstrating our achievements in scientific and technological progress, agricultural R&D, breeding, and management. Going forward, we will strive to achieve new breakthroughs in the application of digital agriculture.

Xinhua News Agency: You mentioned earlier that high-quality development of the livestock and poultry seed industry is a top priority for my country's agricultural sector, and that some of our core seed sources still rely on imports. How is New Hope overcoming this core challenge through independent breeding?

Liu Yonghao: In the livestock industry, whether it's pigs or chickens, breeding is crucial. Many of our original seed stocks are still imported, so we've been working on this. For example, in collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, we developed the Sino-New Beijing Duck. "Zhong" refers to the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and "Xin" refers to New Hope Group. The Beijing Duck can replace some of the best imported varieties. Its production indicators, growth characteristics, and adaptability are excellent, and it was awarded the second prize in the National Science and Technology Progress Award last year.

We are also actively involved in pig breeding. China consumes 700 million pigs annually, half of the world's total, and Chinese people are the primary consumers of pork. For a pig farming company, breeding excellent breeds is crucial. With government support, we've also taken on the task of pig breeding. We not only cultivate lean, fast-growing pigs, but also focus on traditional Chinese black pigs. Local pigs like the Tibetan Xiang pig and the Chenghua pig have the advantage of being fragrant and popular, but their disadvantage is that they grow slowly. Therefore, we need to solve the difficult problem of how to grow them quickly while preserving their flavor and texture, which is also a technological challenge.

Xinhua News Agency: Food safety is one of the most pressing issues for the public. What technological breakthroughs has New Hope achieved in recent years to ensure safety throughout the entire process from farm to table?

Liu Yonghao: Cold chain logistics is a crucial component of the agricultural industry. Previously, we were not doing enough in this area, but we became determined to improve its efficiency. After several years of hard work, New Hope Fresh Life Cold Chain Logistics has become a unicorn company. We have over 200,000 cold chain logistics vehicles in operation, delivering to nearly one million stores daily. Through this digital and intelligent technology, we ensure food freshness and quality while reducing waste.

Xinhuanet: In recent years, many companies have entered the agricultural sector. How can New Hope maintain its competitive advantage? What do you believe is the core competitiveness of agricultural enterprises?

Liu Yonghao: Agriculture is a foundational industry, both ancient and traditional. In the current landscape of new productivity development, it must undergo transformation and upgrading, empowering enterprises with technology, new productivity, and new approaches.

Agricultural modernization must be integrated with technology. We are pursuing a path of moderate scale, a company-farmer partnership. Breeding, propagation, management, and feed production are handled by large companies, while commercial pig farming is handled by farmers. Closely integrating companies and farmers allows farmers to earn higher returns while also being equipped with new technologies, creating a win-win situation.

Xinhuanet: You just visited the Wuhan Modern Agricultural Products Processing Park in Huangpi District, Wuhan. This is the only modern agricultural products processing park in the city, dedicated to building the largest green food processing center in Central China. What are your thoughts on its development potential?

Liu Yonghao: Wuhan is located in the heart of China, and the Wuhan Modern Agricultural Products Processing Park is situated at the intersection of an airport, a railway hub, and a highway. It's a crucial distribution center for Wuhan, Hubei, and Central China. I believe it's a good idea to develop modern agriculture based on such a distribution center. Huangpi, as one of the top 100 counties, possesses considerable economic strength. Furthermore, the Wuhan Municipal Government is planning to develop the Wuhan Modern Agricultural Products Processing Park, which I believe will attract considerable investment and development. I hope the Wuhan Modern Agricultural Products Processing Park will become a model and example for the agricultural industry in Central China and even nationwide.

In the agricultural sector, especially in the livestock and food processing industry, cold chain logistics still holds great potential. Wuhan, with its well-developed highways, railways, and aviation, serves as a transit hub or a source of growth. We are also exploring how to integrate our cold chain logistics and food processing capabilities with local strengths to achieve success.

Xinhua News Agency: In recent years, the country has vigorously promoted the "New Farmer" training program. What role do you think agricultural enterprises should play in this process? What systematic support measures does New Hope have?

Liu Yonghao: We have held a Rural Revitalization Village Head Training Program, held annually for four consecutive years. Every year, 100 village heads and village party secretaries gather together, and New Hope trains these grassroots agricultural managers. This is a public welfare project, and I believe we should be down-to-earth and successful in running it. We also provide annual training to family farm owners and individuals engaged in home e-commerce and agricultural tourism projects. We hope to help 50,000 rural small and micro enterprises in approximately five years, allowing them to grow alongside the country's economic development. These initiatives will not only enhance the technological content of agriculture but also support the development of the rural economy and increase farmers' incomes, achieving the goal of promoting prosperity first and promoting further prosperity.

Xinhua News Agency: As a leading Chinese agricultural enterprise, what are New Hope's core strategic directions for the next five years? How will it address the challenges facing agriculture in the current global economic climate?

Liu Yonghao: Agriculture is a foundational industry, essential for domestic circulation and the well-being of ordinary people. The current international situation is complex and uncertain, and focusing on agricultural development is undoubtedly the right approach.

In the future, we must equip businesses with new technologies. By leveraging big data and artificial intelligence, and connecting to more test sites to collect and integrate data, we can improve agricultural efficiency and make the necessary contributions to narrowing the urban-rural gap.

As a private entrepreneur who emerged relatively early after the reform and opening up, and who has been involved in agriculture for many years, many people call me a friend of farmers or a "veteran farmer." I believe we have a responsibility to contribute to my country's development into a modern agricultural nation over the next five to ten years.