Large-scale production

As in many countries, China is headed for a situation when largescale agricultural production will prevail over household farms.

In many places, such as rural Shanghai, large-scale farming operations have resulted in higher profits for farmers, Zhang Hongyu said.

Now, more investment from a range of sectors - including property developers - is expected in farmland, which is a contentious issue for some people.

"We should stick to the principle that farmland should only be used for agriculture to ensure food security," Zhang Hongyu said.

Qi, the corn grower, said despite the higher profits generated by large-scale production, people are reluctant to expand operations for a number of reasons, including the high cost of leasing land from individual farmers, the rising cost of fertilizers and agricultural equipment, and a lack of irrigation systems that make farmland prone to drought or flooding.

He said more government support for agriculture is needed to encourage large-scale farming and promote modern agriculture.

"For example, sometimes a helicopter is needed to replace human labor and spray pesticides across farmland, but farmers need the government's assistance to find and rent the machines," he added.