As the concentrated autumn grain harvest season continues across China's main producing regions, the roar of machinery fills the fields. Behind that machinery noise, however, lies the rising cost of fuel. Autumn harvest machinery primarily runs on diesel, and since the start of this year, international developments have caused significant fluctuations in domestic diesel prices.
Taking into account all operational stages including mechanized corn and rice harvesting, winter wheat planting in the Huang-Huai-Hai region, and autumn land preparation in Northeast China, relevant institutions estimate that this year's "three autumns" machinery operation costs have increased by approximately 6 billion yuan compared to last year. The cost of fuel for agricultural machinery operations directly affects the vital interests of machine operators and farmers. So, has this year's autumn harvest machinery operation cost actually risen at the field level? Will it be passed on to grain farmers? What measures are various departments and localities taking to safeguard farmers' income, control costs, and stabilize grain prices?
Peak fuel demand during autumn harvest: 7 to 10 yuan more per mu
Since the beginning of this year, the situation in the Middle East has driven sharp fluctuations in international oil prices. A recent report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development concluded that rising oil prices will increase fuel and freight costs, pushing up overall commodity costs. Currently, China is in the midst of a large-scale autumn grain harvest, which is precisely the peak period for agricultural machinery fuel consumption.
A team from the Nanjing Institute of Agricultural Mechanization under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs recently conducted a special survey on autumn harvest machinery fuel use in major grain-producing areas including Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu, and Anhui. Team member Yuan Peng, an assistant researcher at the institute's Agricultural Mechanization Development Strategy Research Center, noted that this year's autumn harvest fuel costs have risen.
Yuan Peng: Nationwide, the retail price of 0-grade diesel is currently around 8 yuan per liter, while in most areas during the same period last year it was around 6 yuan — nearly 2 yuan more per liter. What does that mean at the field level? A normal plot consumes about 4 to 5 liters of fuel to harvest one mu of corn, and about 3.5 to 5 liters to harvest one mu of rice. Calculated out, the fuel cost per mu is 7 to 10 yuan more than last year.
Yuan Peng particularly emphasized that the cost increase caused by rising oil prices varies significantly across different regions.
Yuan Peng: For the same mainstream rice combine harvester with a 6-kilogram feed rate, a plot on flat terrain consumes 3.5 liters per mu; in small plots in hilly and mountainous areas, it rises to 5 liters; and for lodged fields, some machine operators report fuel consumption can even reach 6 to 7 liters per mu. The impact of rising oil prices is amplified in hilly and mountainous areas and in disaster-affected lodged plots.
Rising oil prices 鈮?higher machine harvesting service fees? Operators and cooperatives absorb the first wave of pressure
Farmers' grain-growing income is tied to national food security and the enthusiasm of hundreds of millions of farmers. When income is stable, farmers are willing to grow grain and grow it well, and the nation's food supply can be secured. Every cost increase at any stage puts pressure on income. So, has the rise in machinery fuel costs caused by this year's oil price fluctuations been passed on to farmers? Yuan Peng explained that rising oil prices and rising machine harvesting service prices do not move in sync.
Yuan Peng: In most areas we surveyed, machine harvesting service prices were basically flat or slightly higher compared to last year. For example, in Jiaxian County of Henan and Weifang of Shandong, corn machine harvesting prices rose by 5 to 10 yuan compared to last year; while many machine operators and farmers in Chongqing, Huai'an and Xuzhou in Jiangsu said service prices were the same as last year. A considerable portion of the oil price increase was absorbed by machine operators and cooperatives themselves. It can be said that the mature agricultural machinery socialized service system has shielded farmers from the first wave of pressure.
But it is worth noting that smallholder farmers feel the impact of autumn grain harvest price increases more acutely.
Yuan Peng: For the same price increase, smallholders generally see a slightly larger rise in harvesting prices than large-scale farmers, because smallholders' plots are scattered and their bargaining power is weaker. Fuel consumption is higher in hilly and mountainous areas and lodged fields, and cost pressure is also greater. This is where future policies can be more precisely targeted.
Local policies plus oil companies step in: exclusive discounts, green channels, and fuel delivery to fields
To effectively strengthen fuel supply guarantees for agricultural machinery operations and ease cost pressures, departments including the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs have held close consultations with China National Petroleum Corporation and China Petrochemical Corporation, working to increase exclusive fuel discounts for agricultural machinery. In Jilin Province, one of the major grain barns in Northeast China, China National Petroleum Corporation's Jilin Sales Company has allocated special funds to offer autumn harvest machinery fuel discounts at 674 rural gas stations, implementing tiered discounts where buying more saves more. Tian Ning, deputy director of the Marketing Department at CNPC Jilin Sales Company, said the fuel cost per machine can be reduced by an average of more than 1,500 yuan, and by up to more than 2,100 yuan.
Tian Ning: On top of the exclusive fuel price discounts, municipal branch companies have introduced "fuel + fertilizer + diesel engine oil" agricultural supply packages based on local conditions to reduce agricultural input procurement and machinery maintenance costs; and "fuel + rice, flour, grain, oil + packaged goods" daily consumption packages to comprehensively facilitate rural residents' production and daily life.
In Henan, a major grain province, China National Petroleum Corporation offers a 3% discount on the retail price for agricultural machinery diesel and a 41% discount on the listed price for lubricants. In addition, Pei Feng, finance manager at CNPC Henan Sales Branch, noted that the company has opened green refueling channels at diesel stations across Henan Province, set up dedicated fuel dispensers for agricultural use to ensure machinery can "refuel upon arrival," and provides "fuel delivery to fields" services.
Pei Feng: For machine operators' fuel needs, we can deliver to the fields. We have dedicated small tanker trucks, and delivery is free of charge, saving their time so they don't have to travel back and forth to refuel. We also provide rest areas for machine operators inside our gas stations — if they are tired, they can take a shower, rest, watch TV, and so on.
Agricultural and rural departments in Hubei Province have partnered with China National Petroleum Corporation and China Petrochemical Corporation to increase exclusive fuel discounts for agricultural machinery. Since August, the discount rate across the province has reached 8%, with some cities and counties stacking discounts up to 10%. Currently, due to market price fluctuations, the discount margin has narrowed somewhat but still maintains a certain level.
Zhang Qiang from the Marketing Department at CNPC Hubei Sales Branch: Due to international oil prices and resource impacts, the company's overall resources are under some pressure. But we are fully committed to guaranteeing fuel supply for agricultural machinery customers — there is no problem with fuel availability for this segment. As long as there is demand, whether at rural stations, national highway stations, or provincial highway stations, we provide full support.
It is understood that nationwide, agricultural machinery fuel still maintains an average discount of about 5% based on the current maximum price ceiling, which can save machine operators nearly 2 billion yuan in fuel costs and can largely offset the impact of current oil price increases. Yuan Peng suggested that discount efforts could be further strengthened, and a precise subsidy mechanism linked to actual operation volume and fuel consumption should be established based on local conditions. At the same time, the "last mile" of good policies should be made more accessible.
Yuan Peng: In our survey, we found that machine operators in some areas are not very familiar with preferential fuel policies for agricultural machinery — they don't know about discount cards or where to apply for them. We suggest further strengthening policy outreach at the grassroots level, publicizing autumn harvest machinery fuel discounts to townships and operation sites, so that good policies benefiting machine operators are widely known and enjoyed immediately upon learning about them. The survey also found that fuel consumption per mu in lodged fields is 20% to 30% higher than in normal plots. We recommend strengthening the promotion of lodging-resistant varieties and providing training on machine harvesting loss reduction and fuel-saving operation techniques.
Overall, with the support of national supply guarantee and price stabilization mechanisms, oil companies' preferential benefits for farmers, and a well-established agricultural machinery socialized service system, this year's autumn harvest machinery fuel supply is guaranteed, prices are generally stable with a slight increase, and there has been essentially no impact on farmers' grain production costs.
Reporter: Zhu Min