This plan has been formulated to fully tap into the development potential of dryland potato farming in our city and to accelerate the high-quality development of the local potato industry.

I. Guiding Principles

To thoroughly implement the guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the directives of Premier Li Keqiang, and in accordance with the high-quality development approach of “promoting potatoes through quality, green agriculture, and brand strength,”given the severe scarcity of water resources in our city, we will tap into the green and pollution-free resources of dryland farmland. With the improvement of supply quality and comprehensive benefits of the potato industry as the core, and the development of organic dryland farming as a new growth point, we will optimize planting structures, select and breed superior varieties, establish standardized production bases, create organic brands, and promote drought-resistant and water-saving technologies.We will establish a number of demonstration and production bases for dryland potatoes, aiming to position our city’s dryland potatoes as a key organic brand and a model of modern dryland potato cultivation for the entire region and the nation.

II. Development Goals

— Expand dryland potato cultivation to 2 million mu, with a yield of 800 kg per mu;

— Achieve 350,000 mu of certified organic dryland agriculture (potatoes);

— Achieve a coverage rate of over 90% for virus-free seed potatoes in dryland potato cultivation;

— Strive to have contract farming cover at least 30% of the dryland potato cultivation area.

III. Regional Layout

Relying on leading potato enterprises across the city, we will implement rational layout and scientific planning to establish three functional zones for dryland potato cultivation. Through contract farming and other mechanisms, we will address shortcomings in varieties, technology, and sales to effectively promote the healthy development of the dryland potato industry.

First, the Dryland Organic Agriculture (Potato) Cultivation Zone.Relying on leading enterprises, farmer cooperatives, and other new types of agricultural business entities, we will develop large-scale cultivation and establish a number of organic dryland agricultural planting zones. The focus will be on constructing a 350,000-mu organic dryland fresh potato functional zone in Shangdu County, Chayouzhong Banner, Siziwang Banner, Huade County, and Xinghe County, primarily for the production of fresh potatoes. The cultivation will mainly feature varieties that are popular in the market, have good taste, and strong drought resistance.

Second, the dryland potato cultivation zone for processing. Relying primarily on potato processing enterprises, we will establish a 650,000-mu starch processing functional zone in Shangdu County, Huade County, Chayouhou Banner, and Siziwang Banner, focusing on varieties with strong drought resistance and high starch content.

Third, the dryland fresh potato cultivation zone.Relying on the Ulanqab Potato Electronic Trading Co., Ltd. and the Chaoyouhou Banner Potato Trading Center, we will establish a 1 million-mu functional zone focused on fresh-eating potatoes in Chaoyouhou Banner, Chaoyouzhong Banner, Siziwang Banner, Shangdu County, and Xinghe County. The focus will be on red-skinned and yellow-skinned, yellow-fleshed varieties such as “Houqi Hong” and “Huangjinshu,” which are known for their excellent taste, attractive shape, and market popularity.

IV. Implementation Measures

(1) Leading through Exemplary Demonstrations to Develop Large-Scale Operations. First, demonstration and promotion. Across the city, relying primarily on enterprises and cooperatives with scale and experience, we will concentrate efforts on establishing 10 core demonstration zones for dryland potatoes, each covering at least 300 mu (one core demonstration zone in each flag and county except Jining District). Through these demonstrations, we aim to create pilot zones for innovative agricultural management systems with significant comprehensive benefits and strong sustainable development capabilities, as well as clusters for leading agricultural industries and demonstration zones for the promotion of new agricultural varieties, technologies, and achievements.Second, expanding scale. Building upon the establishment of key demonstration zones, we will encourage and guide farmers to intensify land transfer efforts. Through methods such as land equity participation and the establishment of collective farms, we will develop large-scale cultivation. Relying on new types of agricultural business entities and large-scale farmers, we will focus on constructing a 10,000-mu high-quality, high-efficiency potato planting base—primarily for starch processing—in areas such as Shangdu, Huade, and Chayouzhong Banner. This base will prioritize the promotion of a range of new varieties with strong drought resistance and high starch content.

(2) Introducing Drought-Resistant Varieties and Accelerating Variety Breeding. First, introduce superior varieties. Actively introduce and promote superior varieties from both domestic and international sources that are highly drought-resistant and have high starch content.In 2021, drought-tolerant varieties with high starch content—such as Kexin No. 27, Xindaping, and Jinshu 16—were introduced. A 10,000-mu potato variety demonstration base was established in Shangdu County, Huade County, Chayouqian Banner, Chayouhou Banner, and Siziwang Banner to accelerate the demonstration and promotion of new varieties.Second, accelerate variety breeding. Relying on research platforms such as the Ulanqab Agricultural and Forestry Research Institute, the Ulanqab City Potato Chief Expert Workstation, the Ulanqab City Comprehensive Experimental Station of the National Potato Industrial Technology System, and the Inner Mongolia Potato Observation and Experiment Station of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.We will actively invite national and autonomous region potato industry experts to concentrate efforts on breeding new varieties that are highly drought-tolerant, have high starch content, are suitable for mechanized cultivation, and possess strong disease and stress resistance. Third, we will encourage enterprise innovation.Seed potato enterprises and cooperatives with seed potato production qualifications are encouraged to fully leverage the scale advantages of our city’s seed multiplication system to actively develop new potato varieties with independent intellectual property rights that are suitable for local cultivation. Direct cash rewards will be provided for new varieties that achieve a certain scale of promotion within the autonomous region. Through these measures, we aim to breed 1–2 high-quality, market-competitive new drought-tolerant varieties with independent intellectual property rights suitable for dryland cultivation in our city each year.

(3) Integrate dryland farming technologies to enhance production efficiency. First, promote disease-free seed potatoes. We must change the farming practices of saving seeds from previous harvests and exchanging seeds among farmers, and vigorously promote disease-free seed potatoes to effectively improve the quality and yield of fresh potatoes and enhance stress tolerance during production.By 2021, the coverage rate of virus-free seed potatoes for dryland potato cultivation will reach over 90%. Second, implement small-piece planting. This method effectively reduces the seed potatoes’ water requirements during the germination stage, ensures uniform and robust seedling emergence, reduces the spread of diseases, and improves the quality of fresh potatoes.Third, ridge planting with plastic mulch. We are moving away from the practice of flat-bed cultivation on bare soil and vigorously promoting ridge planting with plastic mulch. We are prioritizing the adoption of this model in contiguous plots on the backside of hills where mechanized operations are feasible. Ridge planting effectively raises soil temperature, preventing damage caused by low soil temperatures during the germination period. Plastic mulch reduces soil moisture evaporation, improves the utilization of available water, and increases soil temperature to suppress weeds. Fourth, increasing planting density.Currently, dryland potato cultivation in our city typically employs a sparse planting method with wide row and plant spacing. Appropriately increasing planting density is the most direct way to boost yields. Raising the planting density to 2,000–2,500 plants per mu ensures adequate nutrient supply while guaranteeing both the yield and quality of fresh potatoes.Fifth, mechanized operations. Deep plowing and deep loosening are effective methods for increasing soil water-holding capacity and reducing water evaporation. Mechanized operations ensure uniform seeding, facilitate integrated pest management, and effectively reduce mechanical damage to fresh potatoes, thereby improving their marketability.

(4) Promoting Green Technologies and Producing Organic Products. Using enterprises, cooperatives, and other new types of business entities as the basic units, and following the industrialized business model of “New Business Entities + Technology + Bases + Farmers,” we will encourage and guide farmers to increase the scale of land transfers. Through methods such as land equity participation and the establishment of collective farms, we will develop large-scale planting operations. These operations will strictly adhere to the “Six Unifications” production and management model in accordance with the standard procedures for organic dryland agriculture.We will establish a number of organic dryland farming zones characterized by stable regional coverage, mature technology, standardized production, and registered brands.

First, increase the application of organic fertilizers. By promoting new types of fertilizers such as bio-organic fertilizers and improving fertilization methods, we will enhance soil fertility. Each year, 2–3 demonstration plots of over 200 mu will be established in every county, with soil testing and formula-based fertilization coverage reaching over 90% and fertilizer utilization rates maintained at over 40%. We will gradually explore new technologies and methods for fertilizer control and efficiency enhancement.Second, promote inter-row cultivation and weed control. The primary focus of pesticide use in dryland potato farming is the extensive application of herbicides. Through training, farmers will be actively guided to use mechanical inter-row cultivation for weed control. Two rounds of inter-row cultivation can effectively eliminate field weeds and also raise soil temperature, which is beneficial for tuber enlargement. Third, implement crop rotation. Continue to effectively carry out the national arable land crop rotation pilot project and implement a three-year crop rotation model.Seed potato production bases must strictly adhere to a rotation cycle of four years or more, while commercial potato production must follow a rotation cycle of three years or more to ensure the sustainable development of the industry. Through these measures, we will gradually pursue organic certification.

(5) Cultivating Leading Enterprises and Extending the Industrial Chain. First, attract processing enterprises that provide a safety net for consumption. Continue to intensify efforts to attract leading enterprises—such as processors—that have close ties to production bases, strong capacity to drive the industry, and the ability to ensure a safety net for consumption. In 2021, priority support will be given to building a 100,000-ton starch processing production line in Shangdu to enhance potato processing and conversion capacity, drive city-wide potato consumption, and alleviate the concerns of potato growers.Second, we will enhance corporate capabilities. We encourage leading enterprises to establish processing facilities in concentrated, contiguous specialty dryland potato-growing regions, actively introduce equipment, improve production processes, and recruit talent to increase the technological content of their products. For example, Tudouji washes fresh potatoes, grades them, and packages them into products of various specifications for market distribution, thereby extending the industrial chain and increasing added value.Third, extend the industrial chain. Vigorously develop functional and health foods, promote deep integration between the potato processing industry and other sectors, and actively foster new business models such as e-commerce, direct farm-to-retail supply, processing experiences, and central kitchens. This will extend the industrial chain and enhance the added value and benefits of organic dryland agriculture.

(6) Implementing Multiple Measures to Build Organic Brands. First, we will launch brand-building initiatives. By introducing preferential policies, we will provide subsidies to qualified enterprises, cooperatives, and other new types of business entities in our city that produce organic potatoes, and actively encourage and guide leading agricultural enterprises, farmers’ professional cooperatives, and other new agricultural business entities to pursue organic product certification. Second, we will establish a public brand.Building on the superior quality and distinctive characteristics of our city’s organic dryland agricultural products, we will establish the “China Potato Capital · Ulanqab” regional public brand to enhance the visibility and influence of the “Ulanqab Potato” brand, which embodies the regional characteristics of organic dryland agriculture.We will encourage enterprises, cooperatives, and other new types of business entities to uniformly use the regional public brand in accordance with regulations and standards, thereby uniting dispersed agricultural producers into a community of shared interests. Third, we will establish proprietary brands. We will actively guide organic dryland farming bases across the city to leverage leading enterprises, cooperatives, and other new types of agricultural business entities to engage in trademark registration and brand development.

V. Policy Support

In accordance with the requirements of the “Implementation Opinions of the General Office of the People’s Government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Promoting the High-Quality Development of the Potato Industry” (Nei Zheng Ban Fa [2020] No. 35), 5% of the funds allocated by the state to the autonomous region for corn and soybean producer subsidies will be reallocated to subsidize the high-quality development of the city’s potato industry. The following potato industry subsidy policies will be implemented in 2021.

(1) Grade-1 Seed Potato Subsidy (Potato Producer Subsidy). Subsidies will be provided to potato growers throughout the city who use Grade-1 or higher seed potatoes, with a preliminary subsidy standard of approximately 40 yuan per mu.Subsidies will be provided to new types of business entities—such as enterprises and cooperatives—located within organic dryland potato demonstration zones. These entities must possess contiguous organic dryland planting bases, strictly adhere to organic dryland agricultural production and management technical standards, and obtain organic certification for their products. The subsidy rate is 150 yuan per mu. (New types of business entities receiving organic dryland subsidies are no longer eligible for producer subsidies.)

(2) Subsidies for the Research, Development, and Promotion of New Varieties. We will earnestly implement the central government’s decisions and plans regarding the Seed Project, innovate incentive mechanisms, and encourage seed potato enterprises and research institutions to intensify efforts in the breeding and promotion of new potato varieties, thereby accelerating the development of a modern potato seed industry in our city.For new potato varieties developed by local seed potato enterprises and research institutions, a one-time reward of 5 million yuan will be granted for varieties with an annual promotion area of 100,000 mu or more across the entire autonomous region; a one-time reward of 10 million yuan will be granted for varieties with an annual promotion area of 300,000 mu or more within the autonomous region.

(3) Subsidies for Potato Processing Contracts. Subsidies will be provided to growers of potatoes specifically cultivated for processing.Growers within our city who sign contracts with processing enterprises for French fries, potato chips, or potato flour and establish valid orders will receive a subsidy of 150 yuan per mu once the contracted growers and large-scale farmers complete transactions with the processing enterprises as stipulated in the contract. The transaction volume for dryland crops must not be less than 500 jin per mu, and for irrigated land, not less than 4,000 jin per mu.Major varieties include Atlantic, Chaptal, Burbank, Innivette, Xisen No. 6, Huasong No. 7, McKenzie No. 1, and Minfeng No. 12. (Farmers receiving processing order subsidies are no longer eligible for producer subsidies.)

Processing subsidies will be provided to processing enterprises to encourage local potato processing companies to establish stable profit-sharing mechanisms with growers. For standardized cultivation backed by valid contracts, a subsidy of 20 yuan per ton will be granted to the purchasing entity. Major varieties include the aforementioned processing-specific potato varieties.

VI. Support Measures

(1) Strengthen Organizational Leadership. Municipal and county-level governments shall establish a Coordination Leading Group for Dryland Potatoes, headed by a government official in charge of the sector and comprising representatives from the finance, development and reform, agriculture and animal husbandry, science and technology, and agricultural and forestry research institutes. The Leading Group’s Office shall be located within the municipal and county agriculture and animal husbandry departments, and shall be specifically responsible for organization, coordination, planning, and the formulation of implementation plans.

(2) Strengthen Technical Services. Experts and technical leaders from municipal and county-level agriculture and animal husbandry, science and technology departments, as well as leaders of new agricultural business entities, will be selected to form corresponding technical guidance teams. A chief expert will be appointed to provide pre-production, in-production, and post-production technical guidance services to dryland potato planting bases and demonstration zones, implementing a “technical team + planting base” and “agricultural expert + demonstration zone” paired responsibility system.

(3) Strengthen financial support. Coordinate efforts to increase loan or credit limits for potato seed and processing enterprises, and prioritize support for small and micro enterprises in the dryland potato sector through new small business re-lending programs. Building on the pilot program for potato price index insurance, actively explore new insurance products such as full-cost insurance, income insurance, and major disaster insurance for dryland potatoes to ensure stable farmer income.Further coordinate with the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange to expedite the listing of potato futures, helping large-scale growers utilize futures instruments to mitigate market volatility risks. Formulate preferential policies to attract private capital investment in the dryland potato industry, jointly promoting the sustainable, stable, and healthy development of the potato sector.

(4) Strengthen Supervision and Evaluation. Incorporate the implementation of dryland potato cultivation and the outcomes of related initiatives into the target responsibility system evaluations for key tasks in all flags, counties, and districts; organize experts to evaluate dryland potato cultivation across the city; revoke subsidies for entities that fail to meet standards; and provide rewards to enterprises, new types of business entities, and scientific and technological service teams with outstanding performance.Strengthen supervision and inspection to resolutely prevent the occurrence of fake orders and the fraudulent claiming of relevant subsidies; for instances of favoritism or fake orders, recover the subsidy funds and revoke eligibility for subsidies in the following year.

(5) Strengthen Publicity and Training. Organize and carry out diverse publicity and training activities. Make full use of newspapers, television, radio, the internet, and other modern public media to widely publicize policies, concepts, technologies, and models for dryland potato development, advocate for healthy consumption, and raise public awareness. Carefully summarize and thoroughly explore successful models of dryland potato cultivation from various regions, vigorously promote them, and enable more growers to witness tangible results and benefits.Conduct specialized training and on-site demonstrations for municipal, county, and township-level governments, village-level organizations, and various agricultural production, operation, and service entities to enhance understanding and skills, thereby fostering a strong atmosphere of government support at all levels and active societal participation in the development of dryland potatoes.