In the world, China is the second-largest cotton producer. Most of the cotton grows in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (新疆维吾尔自治区).
Cotton needs lots of heat and sunshine to grow. Xinjiang is a good place to grow it. It has lots of sunshine—about 3,000 hours every year.
Xinjiang produces over 80 percent of China's cotton. The most famous cotton in Xinjiang is long-stapled cotton (长绒棉). Its fibers (纤维) are longer, softer, and whiter than those of other cotton. It's warm and comfortable. It's good for making cloth and quilts (被子). It's one of the best kinds of cotton in the world.
Every year from August to October, Xinjiang harvests about 5 million tons of cotton. That's a lot! But now harvesting the cotton is not a hard job for cotton farmers. Technology is here to help.
Farmers first fly a drone (无人机) to spray (喷洒) a kind of special water. It makes the cotton leaves fall. Now it's time to drive the machine. This big machine has a huge "mouth" and sharp "teeth". It "eats" while walking. Wow, it "eats up" all the cotton in the field! The big guy "lays eggs" next. Look, it has left some round and tall cotton "eggs"! Then, farmers can pick up the cotton.
Every year, after the harvest season, the fresh cotton is sent to the factories nearby. There, the cotton is made into cloth and quilts.
