Liaocheng is a major agricultural city in Shandong province, despite being home to just 4 percent of China's arable land. [WeChat account: farmersdaily]

Liaocheng, a major agricultural city in the western Shandong Plain, is accelerating its transformation into a strong agricultural hub, ultimately seeking to promote rural prosperity and income growth, according to Zhang Baishun, a deputy to the National People's Congress and mayor of Liaocheng.

In 2024, Liaocheng produced 8 percent of China's grain and 12 percent of its vegetables on just 4 percent of the country's arable land. To further solidify its agricultural foundation, it will focus on scaling up production, enhancing standardization, and promoting green development, said Zhang.

He also mentioned that innovation is a key driver in Liaocheng's agricultural strategy. The city is strengthening the application of modern agricultural technologies, creating seed-breeding bases, and increasing mechanization rates. Efforts will be made to build modern agricultural facilities, promote intelligent farming equipment, and apply AI and Internet of Things technologies to create smart farms.

In addition, Liaocheng is committed to upgrading its agricultural value chain. With existing strengths in poultry processing, grain milling, and soy protein production, it will focus on strengthening leading enterprises, extending processing chains, and developing new rural service industries such as e-commerce and eco-tourism. The city aims to build a seamless supply chain from farm to table and enhance brand influence through high-quality products, he said.