"With the new grill, it's much easier to operate, saving time and effort." Looking at the biomass grill beside him, Jiang Zeyou smiled.

Jiang Zeyou is a "post-80s" tobacco farmer in Yangliutang Town, Shibing County, Guizhou Province. He has grown tobacco for 14 years and witnessed the transformation and upgrading of tobacco baking equipment in Shibing County from traditional to modern.

Jiang Zeyou is putting in biomass fuel. Photographed by Li Mingshen

"In the past, the use of coal to bake needed constant guard, and it was easy to burn the tobacco if the fire fell out accidentally." Jiang Zeyou clearly remembered that when he first started planting tobacco, more than 1000 jin of tobacco was burned because of a nap in the middle of the night. He was discouraged and chose to go out to work. "After working for 4 years, I didn't earn any money and no one took care of my family."

In 2012, Jiang Zeyou decided to go back to his hometown to continue planting cigarettes, which is 9 years. In 9 years, under the guidance of the technical personnel of the tobacco company, he has never had the tobacco leaf roasted and damaged, and the planting scale has also expanded from the initial 40 mu to nearly 100 mu.

It is often said that tobacco production is "three minutes, seven minutes baking". How to change the high energy consumption baking method, so that the tobacco industry can move towards a green development path of green, low-carbon, energy saving and efficiency increasing? Adhering to the concept of green development, Shibing Tobacco Branch has accelerated the construction of new energy grills. Since 2021, it has transformed (built) more than 400 biomass grills.

Biomass curing houses. Photographed by Yang Siqi

The reporter learned that the traditional tobacco curing room uses coal as fuel, and the temperature is uncontrollable and the cost is high. The biomass baking room integrates ignition, feeding, temperature regulation and ash removal, and forms automatic baking through automatic regulation of various indicators. The fuel is granulated from sawdust, straw and other wastes, which is not only easy to store, but also clean and sanitary.

"At the initial stage of the transformation and upgrading of the curing barn, I was afraid that the biomass fuel could not reach the required temperature, so I never dared to try. Later, Song Xijun, the tobacco company's baker, taught me how to operate. After the whole process, I found that the biomass curing barn not only has controllable temperature, but also does not have high labor intensity. Every kang smoke can save 600 yuan of fuel cost." Jiang Zeyou, who was completely relieved, In 2021, two biomass ovens will be transformed, becoming the first batch of pilot plants in Shibing County.

What made Jiang Zeyou even more pleased was that the quality of tobacco leaf roasted from biomass curing barn was better under the condition of reduced baking cost. "Previously, one kang smoke needed 1.5 tons of coal, and the cost was about 2000 yuan. The cost of using biomass baking room fuel was only more than 1300 yuan, and the roasted tobacco was golden." Jiang Zeyou felt deeply.

Biomass ovens arranged in order. Photographed by Yang Siqi

The use of new equipment and new technology has brought Jiang Zeyou tangible benefits. Now, he has transformed all five traditional curing barns into biomass curing barns. In 2023, he will achieve a tobacco yield of 448000 yuan and an output value of more than 4300 yuan per mu.

"98 mu of flue-cured tobacco has been planted this year. I think that through the experience accumulated over the years and the help and guidance of the technical staff of the tobacco station, I will work hard on the field management and green production technology promotion, and there will be a better harvest." Jiang Zeyou is full of confidence. (Wang Xiufang, Pan Yun)

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