While Shiyue Daotian is actively exploring what's possible in rice cultivation, another Liaoning-based enterprise, Shenyang Qiushi Agricultural Technology Development Co Ltd, is navigating the future of high-tech farming.

Founded in 2005, the company has cultivated a 300 mu (20 hectares) planting base, where it introduced a smart plant factory that enables year-round hydroponic vegetable production.

Inside its high-tech plant factory, precision technologies such as hydroponic cultivation, intelligent temperature control and targeted drip irrigation further enhance agricultural productivity.

A computer system automatically regulates key environmental factors, including temperature, humidity, light, CO2 concentration and nutrient solution levels, to ensure optimal conditions for plant growth.

With fully enclosed facilities and consistent indoor temperatures of 15 C to 20 C, crops can grow through the winter without difficulty. This year-round capability marks a significant step toward sustainable, climate-resilient agriculture.

Qiushi's partnership with China Agricultural University has further bolstered its credentials. Together, they've developed hydroponic leafy greens that are entirely pesticide-free, and substrate-grown wild strawberries known for their natural sweetness and vibrant aroma, showcasing the potential of scientific farming to deliver both safety and flavor.

At a national forum on enhancing agricultural enterprises' role in technological innovation last year, Han Jun, minister of agriculture and rural affairs, emphasized the need to empower companies to become active "evaluators" of agricultural technology.

Han called for reforms to improve the evaluation and approval system for scientific achievements, with a greater focus on practical industrial applications. The goal, he said, is to accelerate the transition from prototype to product, and from product to full-scale industry, effectively bridging the "last mile" from agricultural technology labs to farmers' fields.