A FARMER, Ma Zhigang, from Magezhuang Village in Pingdu may win this year's "King of Farmers" competition in Shandong Province. According to the experts and judges, he collected more than 900 kilograms of corn per 666 square meters, which is one of the highest among contestants.

Ma, 49, is well-known for his achievements in farming in the neighboring area. Although he is only a primary school graduate, he likes learning and has bought many agricultural books to enhance his skills and knowledge. He also goes to other cities frequently to attend lectures related to agriculture.

To grow more corn, Ma studied very hard. The most important thing is picking up good seed, he said. He chose to grow a very good seed called Longping 206 this year. Proper fertilizing is also important and Ma has used organic fertilizer over recent years.

"First prize is a car, which is very attractive to me. The possibility of winning the award will make me work harder in the future," he said. (Wang Yuanyuan, Liu Lina)