Smart tech fuels dynamic growth in northwest China wine industry

In early summer, the eastern foot of Helan Mountain in northwest China comes alive as wine grapes reach full bloom. At one grape planting base, drip irrigation tubes with evenly spaced holes dangle along the vines, controlled simply using a smartphone app.

"This integrated drip irrigation system allows for precise water and fertilizer management," said Liu Huibin, deputy manager of the management department at GreatWall Terroir's grape planting base. "Sensors transmit key data such as soil temperature and humidity, weather conditions and irrigation flow to an intelligent control platform to support vineyard operations."

According to Liu, compared with traditional flood irrigation, which consumed 700 to 800 cubic meters of water per mu (about 0.07 hectares) annually, the new system requires only 220 to 260 cubic meters. This enhancement not only conserves water but also improves fertilizer efficiency, benefiting vine growth and stabilizing grape quality.

"Smart irrigation also saves labor. Flood-irrigating 300 mu used to require at least five workers. Now, with drip irrigation across over 7,000 mu, only five workers are needed. It's both efficient and convenient," Liu added.

Situated near 38 degrees north latitude in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the eastern foot of Helan Mountain is recognized as a "golden zone" for grape cultivation. Its abundant sunshine, well-aerated soil, significant day-night temperature differences and access to Yellow River irrigation make it ideal for high-end wine production.

By the end of 2024, the region had more than 600,000 mu of wine grape plantations and an annual wine output of 140 million bottles. These wines were successfully exported to more than 40 countries and regions.

In recent years, Ningxia has embraced technology to transform its wine industry. The region has established more than 30 scientific research platforms and made breakthroughs in virus-free seedling propagation, soil-fertilizer-water management, ecological planting and modern winemaking techniques. Digitalization is also driving the industry towards greater intelligence, integration and high-end development.

Huangkou Winery, a well-known local wine producer, has adopted a digital fermentation control system that monitors key indicators such as temperature, density, dissolved oxygen and liquid level in fermentation tanks.

"With the mobile app, we can monitor and adjust fermentation conditions in real time, avoiding inaccuracies and delays caused by manual checks and ensuring stable wine quality," said Li Dan, a lab technician at the winery.

The winery has also utilized Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to monitor vineyard conditions in real time, deployed drones and remote sensing for rapid inspections and eco-friendly pest control, and used blockchain for transparent product traceability. This allows consumers to access detailed production information by scanning QR codes, according to Zhang Xueyan, the winery's director.

Zhang added that the winery has secured over 20 technological patents and R&D breakthroughs through collaborations with universities. Innovations include fermentation tanks with longer legs and conical discharge ports, as well as novel oxygen-permeable polymer barrels, which have significantly improved production efficiency and product quality.

In January last year, the wine industry technology collaborative innovation center was established at the eastern foot of Helan Mountain. As China's first open and shared platform for the wine industry, it aims to improve the innovation system and promote intelligent management across vineyards and wineries.

"We will continue to prioritize innovation and integrate resources to build a digital platform covering the entire wine industry chain, creating smart vineyards and boosting the global competitiveness of Ningxia's premium wines," said Li Jun, director of the management committee of the wine industry park on the eastern foot of Helan Mountain.