Yichang ushers in the blueberry harvest season
2023-06-09 20:06:40
By Tan Maolin, Yichang International Communication Studio
Blueberry harvest season has begun in Yichang. About 2,000 mu (133.33 hectares) of blueberries are ripe for picking at the Linqiao Blueberry Ecological Plantation in Miaoqian Town, Dangyang.
The tasty fruits have attracted many tourists. “I come here during every blueberry picking season, and the blueberries here are especially sweet,” said visitor Lei Anyin.
Ye Honglin, the one in charge of the base, said: "Blueberry picking season lasts from mid-May until early August, and after entering the peak picking season in July, daily picking volume reaches about 1,000 kilograms."
Seeing this fruitful harvest scene, Ye can't help but rejoice after facing much hardship for the past 15 years. In 2007 she was engaged in foreign trade business in Shanghai and had the idea of returning to her hometown to plant blueberries.
However, everything didn’t go as planned. "In 2008 when we established the plantation, we planted three varieties, two of which were not suitable, and several million yuan was lost," Ye said.
After that, she studied and researched each variety, inviting experts and agricultural technicians for guidance.
Following the acquisition of varieties suitable for local planting, she set up a cooperative in 2014 to plant blueberries following an industrialized model according to orders. The cooperative will buy fruits from members, who use the same technology to plant the same varieties.
Over the years of development, Linqiao blueberry professional cooperative has now become the largest organic blueberry base in Hubei province, according to Ye. The cooperative’s success has led nearby villagers to plant their own blueberry fields of more than 3,000 mu.
To ensure the quality of blueberries, the cooperative provides seedlings for the villagers, and holds technical training sessions, which provides the villagers with additional confidence.
“We now have 11 series of products developed by ourselves, such as blueberry wine, blueberry jam and blueberry juice. We also have our own brand and 31 patents," Ye said.
Blueberry harvest season has begun in Yichang. About 2,000 mu (133.33 hectares) of blueberries are ripe for picking at the Linqiao Blueberry Ecological Plantation in Miaoqian Town, Dangyang.
The tasty fruits have attracted many tourists. “I come here during every blueberry picking season, and the blueberries here are especially sweet,” said visitor Lei Anyin.
Ye Honglin, the one in charge of the base, said: "Blueberry picking season lasts from mid-May until early August, and after entering the peak picking season in July, daily picking volume reaches about 1,000 kilograms."
Seeing this fruitful harvest scene, Ye can't help but rejoice after facing much hardship for the past 15 years. In 2007 she was engaged in foreign trade business in Shanghai and had the idea of returning to her hometown to plant blueberries.
However, everything didn’t go as planned. "In 2008 when we established the plantation, we planted three varieties, two of which were not suitable, and several million yuan was lost," Ye said.
After that, she studied and researched each variety, inviting experts and agricultural technicians for guidance.
Following the acquisition of varieties suitable for local planting, she set up a cooperative in 2014 to plant blueberries following an industrialized model according to orders. The cooperative will buy fruits from members, who use the same technology to plant the same varieties.
Over the years of development, Linqiao blueberry professional cooperative has now become the largest organic blueberry base in Hubei province, according to Ye. The cooperative’s success has led nearby villagers to plant their own blueberry fields of more than 3,000 mu.
To ensure the quality of blueberries, the cooperative provides seedlings for the villagers, and holds technical training sessions, which provides the villagers with additional confidence.
“We now have 11 series of products developed by ourselves, such as blueberry wine, blueberry jam and blueberry juice. We also have our own brand and 31 patents," Ye said.
