Pumpkin harvest boosts rural vitalization in Xifeng

The thriving pumpkin industry in Xiaozhaiba town, Xifeng town, has become a vivid example of improving agricultural efficiency and increasing farmer incomes.

By introducing improved seed varieties, promoting scientific farming techniques, and strengthening production and marketing platforms, the town has continuously enhanced the competitiveness of its agricultural products.

Pumpkins planted in Nanzhong village harvest. [Photo/WeChat account of Xifeng county]

Fields in Nanzhong village, Xiaozhaiba, have been filled with scenes of abundance in recent years. Varieties such as Xiangyu pumpkins and QQ pumpkins are ripening in turn, with farmers busy harvesting and loading produce for market.

This year, Xiaozhaiba has further expanded its pumpkin planting scale and optimized crop varieties, with a total of 2,650 mu (about 177 hectares) under cultivation.

Wang Guoxiang is a leading farmer in the local pumpkin planting industry and earned significant income by planting 380 mu pumpkins last year. This year, he expanded to 440 mu and increased the number of varieties he plants from four to seven. Inspired by his example, 43 households from Nanzhong, Nanqiao, and Qinqizhai villages have joined in pumpkin cultivation efforts.

Wang is also helping to generate rural employment. Since the start of this year, he has hired temporary workers to plant and harvest, distributing more than 180,000 yuan ($25,066) in wages.