Green, organic farming boosts Balin’s growth
2023-09-10 18:09:57
By Chen Zai, Yichang International Communication Studio
Yichang’s Balin subdistrict relies heavily on vegetables as one of its key industries. They have fully embraced the approach of green and organic farming, particularly emphasizing the use of organic fertilizers.
Upon entering Xinhongfu Vegetable Professional Cooperative in Balin, one is greeted by flourishing green peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants on the branches in the vegetable greenhouses.
The cooperative’s leader Zhao Qingfeng said that they have improved the soil quality and vegetable quality through the use of more organic fertilizers. With the construction of a biogas pool of over 800 cubic meters and a manure fermentation pool of 300 square meters, the cooperative can process and use more than 3,000 tons of vegetable waste, pig manure, and straw annually. This allows them to save over 200 yuan (US$27.24) per mu (0.067 hectare) of land in fertilizer costs.
In Balin’s Qunyi Village, a local farmer Du Yangchun is pouring well-fermented liquid biogas into the fields from a liquid biogas truck parked nearby.
Du and his fellow vegetable farmers have been using organic fertilizers and manure for vegetable cultivation for three consecutive years. This practice has not only reduced costs and increased yields but has also elevated the quality of vegetables and eliminated soil compaction.
"In the past, everyone focused on convenience when growing vegetables, resulting in excessive use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and agricultural plastic film. This degraded soil quality, caused soil compaction, and led to poor vegetable taste and low prices," explained Du.
To address this issue, the government has built two large biogas pools in the village. Over 4,000 tons of vegetable waste are collected in the biogas pools to ferment, providing free-of-charge organic fertilizer to the villagers.
"The eco-friendly vegetables cultivated using organic fertilizers have higher prices on the market. About 0.2 yuan higher per kilogram," said Du.
In 2022, Qunyi Village was awarded the title of "China's Lettuce Capital,” and its cabbage has become popular in Hong Kong, both being a testament to the subdistrict's efforts in improving vegetable production through the increased use of organic fertilizers.
Yichang’s Balin subdistrict relies heavily on vegetables as one of its key industries. They have fully embraced the approach of green and organic farming, particularly emphasizing the use of organic fertilizers.
Upon entering Xinhongfu Vegetable Professional Cooperative in Balin, one is greeted by flourishing green peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants on the branches in the vegetable greenhouses.
The cooperative’s leader Zhao Qingfeng said that they have improved the soil quality and vegetable quality through the use of more organic fertilizers. With the construction of a biogas pool of over 800 cubic meters and a manure fermentation pool of 300 square meters, the cooperative can process and use more than 3,000 tons of vegetable waste, pig manure, and straw annually. This allows them to save over 200 yuan (US$27.24) per mu (0.067 hectare) of land in fertilizer costs.
In Balin’s Qunyi Village, a local farmer Du Yangchun is pouring well-fermented liquid biogas into the fields from a liquid biogas truck parked nearby.
Du and his fellow vegetable farmers have been using organic fertilizers and manure for vegetable cultivation for three consecutive years. This practice has not only reduced costs and increased yields but has also elevated the quality of vegetables and eliminated soil compaction.
"In the past, everyone focused on convenience when growing vegetables, resulting in excessive use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and agricultural plastic film. This degraded soil quality, caused soil compaction, and led to poor vegetable taste and low prices," explained Du.
To address this issue, the government has built two large biogas pools in the village. Over 4,000 tons of vegetable waste are collected in the biogas pools to ferment, providing free-of-charge organic fertilizer to the villagers.
"The eco-friendly vegetables cultivated using organic fertilizers have higher prices on the market. About 0.2 yuan higher per kilogram," said Du.
In 2022, Qunyi Village was awarded the title of "China's Lettuce Capital,” and its cabbage has become popular in Hong Kong, both being a testament to the subdistrict's efforts in improving vegetable production through the increased use of organic fertilizers.
