In hilly Shuangfeng county, Hunan province, the development of agricultural machinery suitable for the local landscape has helped it to become a leading producer in the sector in China.

The rugged land makes it almost impossible for machines to operate in farmland. However, thanks to continuous research, development and technological innovation, the county has established itself as a key base of China's agricultural machines.

There are 85 enterprises in the county working in the sector, employing tens of thousands of people. The total industrial output of agricultural machinery enterprises from January to October this year reached 4.28 billion yuan ($587 million), up 18.5 percent year-on-year.

Liu Yaqu, director of the Shuangfeng agricultural machinery affairs center, said agricultural machines manufactured in the county focus on hilly regions and are mainly small and medium-sized. There are about 300 types, including harvesters, rotary tillers, transplanters, drones and dryers.

The machines used to be low-end and less competitive, but after decades of innovation and reform, they have become more intelligent, automated, personalized and versatile, winning wide market recognition, he said.

Liu Ruoqiao, the president of Nongyou Group, said the company has made different kinds of agricultural machines based on extended market research.

One of its most distinctive products is an automated camellia seed collector, which collects the seeds into an umbrella-like container through vibrations.

Liu said the country has 5.33 million hectares of camellia oil trees, which are grown in hills and mountains. It is very hard for big machines to operate in such areas, so collecting the seeds has relied heavily on manual labor which is costly and inefficient, he said.

The company worked with Central South University of Forestry and Technology in Changsha to develop the camellia seed collector, which can work 10 times faster than humans, Liu added.

In 2019, the dryers made by the company reached No 1 in the country in sales revenue and have remained in the top three in the past two years. However, as production capacity could not keep up with demand, clients withdrew almost 10 million yuan's worth of orders this year, he said.

The company has invested more than 60 million yuan in intelligent production, which can increase production capacity threefold, he added.

Through technological strength in the sector, agricultural machinery enterprises in the county have actively expanded into overseas markets.

A total of 2,000 solar powered water pumps made by Nongyou were exported to Africa last month. Orders from Nigeria have reached more than 10 million units this year and the company still cannot keep up with demand, Liu said.

Seventeen enterprises in the county have exported their machines to Africa, with strong momentum in exporting business.

According to data from the Shuangfeng agricultural machinery affairs center, the county exported 207 million yuan of agricultural machines from January to October this year, up by 62 percent year-on-year.

The growth rate has remained above 60 percent for 10 consecutive months, with their products being most competitive in Southeast Asia, Africa and South America.