Sanctions Force Xinjiang Cotton Farmers to Adapt, at a Cost
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US sanctions have pushed Xinjiang's cotton industry to change how it works. The changes have helped farmers survive, but the cost is high.
Awati county is a cotton hub in Xinjiang. Its fields were almost ready for the October harvest. The region has been hit hard by US sanctions.
Yusup Molamaiti, a 36-year-old technician, remembers the old way of farming. He planted and harvested 37 mu (about 2.5 hectares, or 6 acres) of scattered plots by hand.
"Planting a single mu took up to three hours with two people laying plastic film by hand," he said.
Harvesting kept his family busy all year. It produced only 250-300kg (551-661lbs) per mu.
Today, his farm looks different.