
When they talk about aerial irrigation systems, many immediately imagine the desert regions of the Middle East, but the reality of the last five years shows a completely different picture - 63% of our contracts are with Chinese partners. And this is not an accident, but a pattern that grew out of the specifics of their agriculture.
There is still no common understanding of this term in the professional environment. Some involve fogging systems for greenhouses, others - aerosol watering of open areas. Our company Shandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology LLC develops solutions that cover both areas, but with an important clarification - we are talking aboutair irrigation systemwith precise humidity control.
Chinese agronomists especially value the ability to integrate our systems with water filtration equipment - without this, systems in their regions with hard water quickly fail. We encountered this in 2019 when implementing a project in Shandong, when we had to redesign the entire water treatment system.
What really sets the Chinese approach apart is the requirement for mandatory remote control. Their agricultural technology parks are initially designed with full automation in mind, unlike, say, Russian farmers, who often prefer semi-automatic solutions.
Our first project for a Chinese partner in 2018 showed that standard European solutions do not work there. High dust levels in the industrial regions of China led to constant blockages of injectors. It was necessary to develop special filters for multi-stage cleaning.
An interesting point: Chinese specialists insisted on using automatic frequency equipment as standard, although for similar projects in Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan this is usually an option. This was explained by the fact that they have stricter energy consumption standards.
We are currently implementing a project for a smart agricultural park in Jiangsu Province, wherebuyer's main countrydictates completely different requirements for system reliability. Local specialists require a warranty period that is 2 times longer than the standard one, but are willing to pay a premium for the appropriate quality.
When working with the Chinese market, we had to reconsider the approach to system design. Their engineers pay attention to details that are considered secondary in other countries - for example, the material of seals in conditions of high chemical aggressiveness of local water.
Featureair irrigation systemFor China, it is mandatory to have backup lines. Where other countries are content with duplicating pumps, Chinese customers require complete redundancy of each process chain.
We noticed that, unlike European clients, Chinese partners more often request data on the operation of the system in real time and prefer complex data exchange protocols. This forced us to improve our remote monitoring software.
The price sensitivity of the Chinese market has proven to be a myth. They are willing to pay for quality, but require appropriate justification for the cost. On the website https://www.lyzhihuinongye.ru we specifically post detailed feasibility studies for each type of project.
An interesting detail: Chinese companies often ask to include in the contract training for local specialists, not just in operation, but in the principles of the system’s operation. This indicates a serious approach to technological development.
I noticed that in the last two years the structure of orders has changed - if previously large government projects predominated, now the share of private high-tech farms is growing. And they are the main drivers for improving our solutions.
Analyzing current trends, I see a shift in emphasis towards intelligent systems for integrating water and fertilizers. Chinese farmers are increasingly consideringair irrigation systemas part of a comprehensive solution, rather than as a separate technology.
Our company Shandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology LLC is currently testing a new system that combines microclimate control with precise fertilization. Initial tests in Shandong province showed a 23% reduction in water consumption compared to traditional systems.
I think we can expect an increase in demand for solutions for high-quality agricultural fields in the next 2-3 years, especially in regions with scarce water resources. And here it is the Chinese experience that will be most in demand - their approach to resource conservation is truly unique.
To summarize, the focus has shifted from simple irrigation to the creation of complex climate systems. And in this contextbuyer's main countrytruly sets the tone for the development of the entire industry, creating requirements that then spread to other markets.