At the Yuanshang Agricultural Products Base in Jining High-tech Zone, premium-quality lettuce and chicory, vibrant peppers, tender green broccoli, along with imported fruits like cherries and durians, present a dazzling array, continuously flowing onto the dining tables of Jining residents and radiating to multiple surrounding cities, establishing itself as a veritable fruit and vegetable distribution hub. As a major provincial project, especially with the operational launch of the Yuanshang Agricultural Products Smart Logistics Base construction project, this area has been developed into a comprehensive agricultural industry chain platform integrating functions such as storage, transportation, packaging, processing, distribution, trading, and e-commerce, providing robust support for promoting the green development of the agricultural industry, rural revitalization, and regional industrial growth. Recently, stepping into the Shandong Yuanshang Central Kitchen and Agricultural Products Smart Logistics Base construction project (Phase II), one is greeted by a scene of bustling activity: electric tricycles shuttle back and forth, loaded with cabbage, cucumbers, broccoli, lettuce, and more, heading straight for the entrance. Further inside, loading workers are busy transferring various vegetables from refrigerated trucks onto tricycles. License plates like Lu Q, Lu A, Yun K... tell the story of the vegetables' origins. "This batch of broccoli came from Hubei; one refrigerated truck can carry 16,000 to 17,000 jin," said Brother Zhang as he unloaded broccoli onto a tricycle. "Our tricycles have built-in weighing functions, so we can see directly how much cargo we're hauling, without the hassle of weighing it again like before." Following his pointing finger, one could see a weight display on the front part of the tricycle showing 2,782 jin. "I mainly deliver to surrounding supermarkets and distribution points; this is my third delivery run today, and also the last one for the day," Brother Zhang added, noting that while the base is bustling with activity during the day, it's even busier at night. Around two or three in the morning, everyone starts checking goods and making deliveries. The base covers a construction area of approximately 31,615 square meters and is a leading vegetable distribution center in Jining. "Mushrooms from Yunnan, peppers and leafy greens from Hainan, broccoli from Hubei and Hunan... fresh vegetables from all over the country can be found here. After the vegetables arrive, merchants engage in both wholesale and retail, distributing not only within Jining's urban area and secondary markets in various counties and districts but also radiating outward to surrounding cities such as Taian, Zaozhuang, Heze, and Xuzhou," explained Zhang Shuo, responsible for vegetable investment and operations at the base. The base has a total of 400 stalls. In addition to basic storage and trading spaces, there are rooms on the second floor where merchants can rest. "I came from Weifang," said merchant Brother Wang, whose stall primarily deals in affordable vegetables like cabbage. He mentioned that the base has been in trial operation for nearly a month, and the continuous stream of customers proves that his decision to relocate from Weifang to Jining was correct. "I already had some clients in Jining before; after moving here, the number of clients has increased even more, and there's no worry about sales." "In the past, agricultural markets were small in scale and had weak bargaining power with upstream and downstream partners, so many vegetable suppliers were reluctant to come to Jining. Furthermore, some agricultural markets charged relatively high rental and management fees to merchants. 'Food is the paramount necessity of the people.' We want all the people of Jining to be able to eat a variety of affordable, high-quality vegetables," said Sun Hongjiang, the person in charge of Shandong Yuanshang Agricultural Development Co., Ltd. He noted that now even vegetables from places like Yunnan and Hainan can directly reach the dining tables of Jining residents, coming straight from the place of origin, which reduces the cost of vegetables for Jining citizens. Additionally, for merchants within the market, the base offers a 5-year rent-free period to support their growth and strength. "We aim to provide a fair and excellent operating platform to assist merchant development, help everyone grow bigger and stronger, and ultimately benefit the people." Across the road from this base is the Yuanshang Agricultural Products Processing and Cold Chain Logistics Base project (Phase I), covering a construction area of approximately 161,000 square meters. It includes fruit and vegetable trading areas, cold storage, an e-commerce service center, and other facilities, all fully completed and officially operational. The Phase I base brings together over 500 merchants dealing in fruits, frozen goods, aquatic products, and more. "Our shop specializes in apples, from Yantai Qixia apples to apples from Shanxi and Shaanxi, and then to apples from Gansu and Xinjiang Aksu. You can buy over ten mainstream types of apples available on the market here," said Liu Yong, the owner of Liu's Fruit Shop, famously known as the "Apple King" in the market. Since entering the base in 2022, his business scale has multiplied several times. "I used to sell fruit in an old wholesale market in Jining locally; business was okay, but the scale never really took off, and rental and management fees cost hundreds of thousands per year. But Yuanshang Base promised to waive these fees, so I thought I'd try moving here." Entering the new market, Liu Yong felt no discomfort whatsoever; instead, he accelerated onto a fast track of development. Compared to before, he now manages more varieties and has opened up more channels. Moreover, apples have no distinct off-peak or peak seasons, allowing him to sell 1,600 crates of apples every day. Liu Yong said this is 3 to 4 times more than before, something he never dared to imagine. "Especially since the management here is very standardized, allowing me to focus entirely on operations. If any problems arise, we can report them directly to the market management without intermediate links, resolving issues as quickly as possible." "I can meticulously sort apples based on their size, ripeness, color, etc., which means I hold the standard for quality grading in my own hands. I can also perform sorting more targeted according to customer needs," Liu Yong spoke volubly about the apple industry, his expression showing affirmation for the Yuanshang market and passion for his work. It was noted that in Liu's Fruit Shop, besides various types of apples, more than ten employees were busy sorting apples. These are helpers recruited from around the market area; Liu Yong pays them between 140 yuan and 220 yuan per day, enabling local residents to find employment and increase their income close to home. Reportedly, just one month after Liu Yong joined Yuanshang, he purchased a property and settled down in Jining High-tech Zone. This tangible "vote with their feet" undoubtedly represents the highest affirmation for the base. Another merchant, Li Sun, found that Yuanshang provided a broader space, allowing him to purchase more goods at lower prices, which led to his products selling out instantly on his first attempt on an e-commerce platform. "In the past, my durians were sourced from some secondary markets in the surrounding area, leading to them being marked up layer by layer," said Zhang Bo, owner of Bofeng Fruit Shop, who didn't even have a stall. "Too many merchants wanted to move in; I applied late and didn't get one. But I thought, even if I have to set up a stall on the ground, I'll do it within the Yuanshang market." Zhang Bo said that after learning about his sourcing difficulties, the main person in charge of Yuanshang proactively helped him connect with customs authorities in places like Shanghai and Guangdong, aiming to establish direct links with the places of origin. Zhang Bo explained that he has now established cooperation with merchants in durian origin regions like Thailand and Vietnam. Every day, refrigerated trucks transport goods directly from customs ports to the Yuanshang Agricultural Products Base in Jining. Examples like Zhang Bo are not uncommon at the Yuanshang Agricultural Products Base. Huang Laifei, owner of Tengfei Fruit Shop, also established cooperation with operators in Chile when sourcing cherries. "What Yuanshang gives us is not just stalls and a platform allowing us to purchase more goods, but also confidence in our operations," he remarked. Compared to other markets, Yuanshang also has cold storage facilities with higher standards, ensuring constant temperature and humidity, with dedicated personnel conducting inspections. "We just need to keep our inventory records properly; we don't have to worry about the rest. It's very convenient and worry-free." Furthermore, the Yuanshang Agricultural Project will comprehensively provide six supporting services: "logistics and distribution, e-commerce, quality inspection and sanitation quarantine, financial services, property security, and life support centers." Sun Hongjiang, the person in charge of Shandong Yuanshang Agricultural Development Co., Ltd., stated that after the project is fully completed and operational, the trading area can accommodate over a thousand merchants, with an annual transaction volume of agricultural products exceeding one million tons and transaction value over 6 billion yuan. The cold chain section will have a storage capacity of 550,000 tons, with strong turnover ability and wide coverage, promoting the development of the smart cold chain logistics industry in Jining City and even the entire Southwestern Shandong region. The central kitchen section will have a daily output of 200,000 meals, process 50 tons of ingredients daily, and achieve an annual output value of 500 million yuan. Additionally, through "contract farming" collaborations with multiple parties, the project involves an annual procurement value of 2 billion yuan, potentially creating employment for ten thousand farmers, involving over 200 bases, and meeting the daily living needs of residents in over a hundred large communities surrounding the area, serving as a powerful engine for increasing agricultural efficiency, raising farmers' incomes, boosting employment, and upgrading consumption.
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