Xinjiang is referred to as the "San Joaquin Valley" of China. Agricultural production in the province continues to increase as more land is brought under irrigation; however, expansion has dramatically slowed due to limited irrigation supplies. One of the largest areas is Ba County, where a total of 218,940 hectares was planted to agricultural crops as of May 20, representing 25,107-hectare growth over the previous year. Cotton acreage reached 138,733 hectares, up slightly from last year's 133,333 hectares. The county has also launched a major effort to save water with under membrane drip irrigation.
