In the drive for rural revitalization, a key developmental challenge is transforming locally distinctive "earthy" specialties into prosperous industries that enrich residents. In recent years, various areas of Huzhou, Zhejiang, have leveraged their unique germplasm resources to deeply explore industrial added value, bringing long-dormant rural specialties out of the fields and into the marketplace, giving "homesickness" a commercial outlet.
During a break in the plum rain season, with clear skies following rain by Lake Taihu, the first harvest commenced at the Taihu Lily Base in Yanglou Village, Wuxing High-tech Zone. Pan Youjiang, a 76-year-old villager, was digging up the local old-variety Taihu lilies with neighbors. "You need an iron shovel to pry open the soil layer. If the plant has few yellow leaves and lush green leaves, it means it's not fully grown yet. You should delay digging and wait for the lily bulb to fully expand before harvesting," he explained.
Known as the "King of Lilies" and "Taihu Ginseng," the Taihu lily boasts a cultivation history spanning centuries. In the 1980s, it was exported as far as Southeast Asia, but later fell into obscurity due to its slow growth and limited economic returns.
In 2022, Yanglou Village revived its lily cultivation project. Under the guidance of agricultural experts, it adopted green and pollution-free planting methods, expanding the lily cultivation area to over thirty acres. Simultaneously, capitalizing on the trend of "food as medicine," Song Xiaofeng, the village's Party branch secretary, took the lead in consulting ancient texts and collaborating with veteran traditional Chinese medicine practitioners to develop formulas. Partnering with enterprises, they created deep-processed products like bird's nest, lily, and lotus seed soup.
"Fresh lilies sell for just 15 yuan per half-kilogram, but when processed into value-added products, the price can reach 80 yuan, increasing the added value more than fivefold," Song Xiaofeng noted. To further extend the agricultural, cultural, and tourism industrial chain, the base has also introduced many new lily varieties to attract visitors during the flowering season.
While the distinctive lily industry thrives by Lake Taihu, not far away in Daochang Township, the century-old Gengcun Yangtao peach is entering its peak harvest season. At a local family farm, a hundred acres of peach trees are laden with fruit, their red, fleshy peaches covered in fine fuzz and exuding a sweet, fragrant aroma.
Named after its place of origin, Gengcun in Daochang Township, the Gengcun Yangtao peach is a nostalgic local flavor for people in Huzhou. Due to a lack of improved breeding techniques in earlier years, its cultivation scale continuously shrank. By the early 2000s, fewer than 30 old trees remained locally.
In 2016, orchard manager Wang Zujun arrived to tend the orchards. He spent several years grafting and rejuvenating the Gengcun Yangtao peach trees. "This is the fifth year of fruiting for these trees. With ample nutrient absorption, this year's fruit has the best taste," he said. Today, Wang's farm has cultivated over two thousand Yangtao peach trees, with total production expected to reach over 15,000 kilograms by 2026.
Furthermore, the Yangtao peach industry has spurred the development of pick-your-own tourism and farmhouse dining, creating local employment opportunities for nearby villagers and continuously broadening their income channels.
While germplasm improvement and product deep-processing enhance the quality and value of local specialties, innovative sales models further unlock the critical pathway to increased income and prosperity.
"Our corn is sold freshly picked, ensuring it reaches everyone while still fresh," announced Fang Wenwei, a village official turned live-stream host, at 8 a.m. sharp in the public welfare, farmer-assistance live-streaming room of Zijinqiao Village, Balidian Town. He showcased the village's soft, sweet, and waxy purple corn to the camera.
The village is renowned as a "corn village." Thanks to its deep soil layers rich in organic matter, the corn grown here is large and has a glutinous texture. However, sales channels had long been a problem for farmers.
In 2024, village cadres took the lead in launching farmer-assistance live streams, testing the waters in the e-commerce arena. "I planted about an acre of corn, yielding roughly 2,000 kilograms per acre. I never expected live-stream sales to be so good. We often bring corn here to sell," said farmer Peng.
Sun Jiehui, a member of the Zijinqiao Village Committee, reported that the morning's live stream sold approximately 900 kilograms of corn. Products were offered in ten-piece packs and gift boxes for consumer choice. As experience accumulates, the live-stream room's popularity has grown steadily.
Today, the village's corn cultivation area reaches 500 acres, with the rural specialty finding its way onto dining tables across major cities in the Yangtze River Delta region.
Fertile land nurtures distinctive local produce, and thriving local industries enrich local communities. Even the most ordinary rural land carries the warmth of home and harbors boundless potential, paving the way for common prosperity on an ever-broadening path.
Comments