In early summer, the 450,000 mu of bamboo forests in Ninghua County, Fujian Province, are lush and green. After harvesting fresh bamboo shoots, local farmers are now busily engaged in drying the shoots to produce bamboo shoot strips. Unlike the traditional, labor-intensive, and smoky wood-burning drying methods, many villages in Ninghua now feature rows of modern, intelligent drying facilities. With simple operations, bamboo farmers can efficiently complete the entire drying process, achieving a win-win situation for both ecological protection and increased income.
Bamboo shoot strips are a crucial source of income for farmers in Ninghua's mountainous areas. The traditional wood-burning method was a significant headache. "In the past, drying bamboo shoots relied entirely on burning firewood. The makeshift drying sheds were set up right next to the bamboo forests. During the drying season, the whole family, young and old, had to work around the clock," said Wu Rongbiao, a farmer from Anle Village, Anle Town, Ninghua County, shaking his head as he recalled the past.
Tasks like lighting the fire, adding wood, turning the shoots, and controlling the temperature—every step in the crude, traditional drying sheds required constant human attention. More troubling was the massive consumption of firewood. Wu Rongbiao's household alone used to cut down about 500 kilograms of firewood annually just for drying bamboo shoots, harming the mountain forest ecology and involving extremely arduous labor. "We had to stay up all night watching the fire, never leaving for a moment. Controlling the heat was difficult, often leading to burnt or unevenly dried shoots. Poor quality meant lower prices," he explained.
The issues of high labor intensity and excessive firewood consumption were common pain points for all bamboo forest farmers in Ninghua. To effectively resolve the conflict between ecological conservation and farmers' livelihoods, since 2020, the Ninghua County Forestry Bureau has taken the lead in promoting a "fuel conversion" project for bamboo shoot strip production, vigorously advocating for electric and biomass-fuel intelligent drying facilities. To date, the county has constructed 67 new environmentally friendly drying facilities, achieving full coverage in core bamboo-producing areas like Anle Town and Zhiping Township.
"No need to go up the mountain to cut firewood, no need to watch the drying shed day and night. The intelligent drying facilities have really solved a big problem for us!" said Wu Huaqiang, a farmer in Anle Village's intelligent drying facility. After neatly arranging the cleaned fresh bamboo shoots, he simply pressed the control panel, set the drying temperature and dehumidification frequency, and the smart equipment began operating efficiently and automatically.
Wu Huaqiang explained that the new biomass-fuel drying facilities are fully automated, featuring constant-temperature drying, automatic dehumidification, and precise temperature control. They eliminate the need for round-the-clock supervision, completely doing away with the tiring and dirty traditional methods. "Before, the whole family worked tirelessly and still couldn't keep up. Now, one person can manage it easily, reducing labor costs by more than half," he said.
The application of intelligent equipment has significantly improved the quality of bamboo shoot strips. Through precise, intelligent drying, the finished product boasts a uniform golden color, firm and plump texture, and a rich, mellow aroma. This solves problems associated with traditional wood-dried strips, such as darkening, excessive dryness, and poor taste. The superior quality attracts buyers who come directly to purchase, greatly enhancing market competitiveness.
Wu Rongbiao calculated his increased income: his annual output of bamboo shoot strips is stable at 1.25 tons. After adopting the new drying facility in 2022, fuel costs dropped by 30%. Combined with significant savings on labor and the sales premium from improved quality, he earns nearly 10,000 yuan extra per year.
Currently, Ninghua County continues to strengthen policy support and financial assistance, steadily advancing the ecological and intelligent upgrading of old drying facilities. More bamboo farmers are set to board this fast track of green industry development.
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