In recent years, one of the main chains of thought for Shanghai to develop its agriculture is to make a meticulous calculation of the ecological cost. It should engage in developing sustainable “ecological agriculture”, which can not only create ecological benefits for the city, but also improve the economic benefits for farmers and the countryside.

Currently, there are 1.627 million mu of paddy fields in Shanghai’s suburbs. This is not only for the completion of the task of producing 1 billion kilograms of rice designated by the state, but also for the realization of the city’s ecological strategy. The forest coverage rate of Shanghai is only 13.65%, which is far lower than the country’s average. Paddy fields are also “wet land” and “green lungs”: the ecological function of 1 mu of paddy field is equivalent to that of 7 mu of lawns; and over 1.6 million mu of paddy fields are then equivalent to over 10 million mu of lawns. They absorb carbon dioxide and create oxygen for the city.