Kiwifruit flourishes in Xifeng

Shidong town welcomes the kiwifruit harvest. [Photo/WeChat account of Xifeng county]

Guizhou Zhongkang Agricultural Technology Co has been engaged in kiwifruit cultivation in Shidong town of Xifeng county for eight years. Leveraging the company's 4,800-mu (320 hectares) kiwifruit industrial park, it has created two kiwifruit brands, turning the kiwifruit industry into a driving force behind the town's development and increasing the incomes of local farmers.

"Over 300 people work in the industrial park every day. But there's still a labor shortage, so we have to recruit workers from villages outside of Dahong and Zhongba. In general, each worker earns a daily wage of 100 yuan ($13.66), and those who work long-term at our company can earn 10,000-20,000 yuan annually," Shi Hanquan, manager of the company's production department, said

In recent years, the company has been promoting technologies related to fertilization and biological prevention, improved multiple standardized cultivation management measures such as artificial pollination, green prevention and control, pest control, and cooperated with institutions including Guizhou University and Guiyang University to build industry-education-research bases.

These efforts have led to the production of high-quality kiwifruit surging. "The commodity rate of kiwifruit produced this year has reached 98 percent, with the average kiwifruit weighing 120 grams. The output of kiwifruit in the park is expected to be about 2 million kilograms," Shi added.

At the 21st China Green Food Expo and the 14th China International Organic Food Expo, the company was honored with the gold award in the division of green food for its kiwifruit.

In addition, the company has been selected as a demonstration base or industrial park at the national-level or provincial-level several times.