Farmer in Xinjiang devotes himself into cultivation of cotton

Arkin Reyim drives a tractor to lay mulching film and sow at a cotton field in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

Arkin Reyim is a 51-year-old cotton farmer with more than 300 mu (20 hectares) of cotton fields in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County in Xinjiang.

Arkin's courage and unique vision has prompted him to start growing cotton in 2004 when he got married with his wife Hasiyat Kasim. Since then, Arkin has devoted himself into the cultivation of cotton for over 10 years, thus making him an experienced cotton grower in the county.

In this year, Arkin bought the Beidou navigation system with 8,000 yuan (about 1155.5 U.S. dollars) to have it installed into his tractor, as a way to mechanise the growing process and improve efficiencies.

Yuli County in Xinjiang is suitable for the growing of cotton due to its unique natural conditions. It has become an important commodity cotton production base of the country. At present, the county's 1 million mu (about 66,666.7 hectares) cotton fields have entered the sowing period smoothly with the help of new technology and modern agricultural machinery.

Arkin Reyim takes his mother to go for a meal in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 22, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

Arkin Reyim drives a tractor to lay mulching film and sow at a cotton field in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

Arkin Reyim pushes the mulching film aside to let the cotton shoot come out at a cotton field in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 22, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

Arkin Reyim (2nd L) celebrates his 51st birthday with his family members in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 17, 2023. (Photo by Wang Zhipeng/Xinhua)

This aerial photo taken on April 17, 2023 shows Arkin Reyim driving a tractor to plough at a cotton field in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Wang Zhipeng/Xinhua)

Arkin Reyim operates the Beidou navigation system in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

Arkin Reyim walks at a cotton field to inspect the growing condition of cotton shoots in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

Arkin Reyim inspects the growing condition of cotton shoot in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

This aerial photo taken on April 17, 2023 shows Arkin Reyim driving a tractor to plough at a cotton field in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Wang Zhipeng/Xinhua)

Arkin Reyim (R) inspects tools in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 29, 2023. (Xinhua/Wang Fei)

Arkin Reyim looks for tractors for spring ploughing via his mobile phone as he takes a meal in Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

Arkin Reyim (L) inspects tools for ploughing at a cotton field in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 17, 2023. (Photo by Wang Zhipeng/Xinhua)

Arkin Reyim operates a scarifier to loosen the soil at a cotton field in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

Arkin Reyim drives a tractor with the Beidou navigation system at a cotton field in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 17, 2023. (Photo by Wang Zhipeng/Xinhua)

Arkin Reyim makes oil dough cakes with his wife in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

Arkin Reyim drives a tractor to work at a cotton field in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 22, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

Arkin Reyim drives a tractor to lay mulching film and sow at a cotton field in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

Arkin Reyim (R) holding a birthday cake poses with his wife to celebrate his 51st birthday in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 17, 2023. (Photo by Wang Zhipeng/Xinhua)

Arkin Reyim cares for his sheep after completing his farm work in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

Arkin Reyim has dinner with his wife in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 21, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

Arkin Reyim feeds his sheep in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 29, 2023. (Xinhua/Hao Zhao)

Arkin Reyim inspects the growing condition of cotton shoots at a cotton field in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 22, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

This photo taken on April 21, 2023 shows a cotton shoot at a cotton field in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

Arkin Reyim talks with his family members in Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Hao Zhao)

Arkin Reyim drives a tractor to work at a cotton field in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 22, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhao Ge)

Arkin Reyim shears a sheep at his sheep pen in the Bax Mali Village of Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 29, 2023. (Xinhua/Hao Zhao)