"The grain drying industry here has developed rapidly over the past few years. Currently, our township is home to seven grain drying enterprises equipped with approximately 40 dryers, which basically meets the grain drying needs of the entire township," Li Zhen, Head of Bailian Township in Huoqiu County, Anhui Province, told reporters. During recent visits to townships including Bailian, Huhu, and Wulong in Huoqiu County, as well as relevant enterprises in Lu'an City, reporters observed that grain dryers are thriving in both production and sales, gradually becoming a "new standard fixture" in rural areas.

Li Zhen noted that in previous years, only two grain trading enterprises in Bailian Township owned drying equipment, leaving most farmers to rely on sun-drying after harvest. In recent years, however, the rise of land transfer has made grain drying an increasingly pressing challenge. Large-scale grain growers and specialized cooperatives have successively invested in drying equipment, adding five new facilities in just the past three years. Notably, in 2022, leveraging higher-level subsidy funds to attract private capital, the township established a dedicated drying center, significantly enhancing regional drying capacity.

On April 2, at the drying center of Huoqiu Daofeng Ecological Agriculture Technology Co., Ltd., manager Mr. Zhai was seen organizing dried grain pellets.

At the drying center of Huoqiu Daofeng Ecological Agriculture Technology Co., Ltd., located in Zhenzhu Village, Bailian Township, reporters saw ten 30-ton dryers lined up in a row, quietly awaiting the upcoming drying season. According to Pan Liang, the company’s legal representative, the center required a total investment of over 5 million yuan, with partial government subsidies. "Last year, we dried nearly 10,000 tons of wheat and rice, essentially operating at full capacity and serving an area of about 30,000 mu," he said.

"I previously worked in grain trading in Hunan Province, where I operated two drying plants," Pan explained. "The main reasons I chose to return to my hometown were the favorable policies on factory leasing and financial subsidies, coupled with Huoqiu’s massive market as a major grain-producing county." He added that there are currently two primary business models: one is contract drying for large-scale growers at around 120 yuan per ton; the other is purchasing wet paddy directly from farmers, drying it, and then reselling it. "Most farmers prefer the latter option. Last year in particular, with wet paddy prices exceeding 1.3 yuan per jin, transporting grain straight from the fields to the drying plant proved both convenient and cost-effective."

The booming popularity of grain dryers in rural Huoqiu is by no means unique to Bailian Township. During interviews across the county, reporters noticed drying plants dotting township roads every few miles, with even greater concentrations in market towns. In Huhu Town, for example, there are now 20 drying plants with a combined capacity of 1,130 tons; in Wulong Town, the figures stand at 11 plants and 1,280 tons.

On April 3, workers performed laser cutting on the production line at Anhui Zhengyang Machinery Technology Co., Ltd.

Meanwhile, dryer manufacturers are equally bustling. At Anhui Zhengyang Machinery Technology Co., Ltd., located in Lu'an Central Demonstration Park, reporters recently witnessed intense activity across multiple production and assembly workshops, each spanning nearly 10,000 square meters. Every day, ten circulating grain dryers roll off the production line and are immediately shipped nationwide. "As the nation’s leading grain dryer manufacturer by sales volume, we sold more than 1,100 units in 2022 and 2,092 in 2023. This year, we expect to surpass 2,800 units—scaling three major milestones in just three years," said Hu Jiaji, the company’s General Manager.

A veteran of both technical and sales roles, Hu possesses deep insight into markets in major grain-producing counties like Huoqiu. He observed that dryer users are shifting from grain traders toward new-type farming entities such as large-scale growers and specialized cooperatives. Owning drying equipment has become an increasingly popular choice among large-scale grain producers, aided by agricultural machinery purchase subsidies covering nearly 30% of costs, along with additional incentive policies introduced by local governments. Nevertheless, development remains uneven: "Some townships have over a dozen drying centers, while others still have none."

On April 10, reporters learned from the Anhui Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs that drying equipment adoption across the province is accelerating rapidly. Subsidized drying units totaled 730 in 2022 and surged to 2,994 in 2023. By the end of 2023, Anhui had 18,995 grain dryers in operation, achieving a grain drying mechanization rate of 63%, ranking among the highest nationally. "Since 2022, our province has integrated grain drying center construction into the 'Two Strengthenings and One Enhancement' initiative. We plan to build 580 drying centers across 58 major grain-producing counties during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. As of now, the province has 567 operational grain drying centers," said a responsible official from the department.

The official also pointed out significant regional disparities: "There is a pronounced north-south divide. Rice-wheat producing regions along the Yangtze River and Huaihe River enjoy relatively sufficient drying capacity, whereas wheat-corn producing areas in northern Anhui face shortages. During concentrated harvest seasons, consecutive rainy days can trigger temporary insufficiencies in drying capacity." To address this, the official recommended coordinated efforts from both market and government sides to comprehensively elevate grain drying capabilities. Government departments should leverage their role as primary channels to improve drying and storage infrastructure, while market mechanisms should be fully utilized to increase subsidy intensity and support the healthy development of drying service providers.