Shandong's district leads way in vegetable seedling industry development

Volunteers observe the vegetable seedling industry in Laiwu district, Jinan, Shandong province. [Photo provided by Zhao Wenjun/for chinadaily.com.cn]

Laiwu district of Jinan, capital of East China's Shandong province, has earned itself a reputation as the "vegetable basket" of the city thanks to increasing efforts in the independent research and development of seedling breeding.

In the district's Fangxia subdistrict, the vegetable planting industry has a history of several decades. In the past, due to the lack of high-quality seedlings and unprofessional private breeding of seedlings by farmers, the local fruit and vegetable planting industry encountered difficulties.

With the increasing emphasis put on the independent breeding of seedlings locally in recent years, multiple seedling breeding bases have been established in collaboration with major universities and research institutions. In 2023, 300 million seedlings from Fangxia subdistrict were distributed nationwide.

Within the greenhouses of Shucheng seedling base, automated seedling beds are filled with seedlings which are thriving thanks to the integrated temperature, humidity and irrigation systems, showcasing glossy leaves and well-developed root systems.

Two workers operate an automatic seed sower, dispersing seeds of chili peppers, tomatoes, and other vegetables into the seedling trays. After one to two months of growth, the seedlings are ready to be delivered to farmers. Prior to the planting season, local farmers and large-scale bases from around the country come here to purchase seedlings.

Presently, Shucheng seedling base cultivates over ten different types of vegetables, each with multiple varieties. It supplies over 30 million seedlings nationwide every year. Leveraging these high-quality seedlings, various fruit and vegetable seedlings have helped tens of thousands of farmers increase their incomes and lead better lives. (Edited by Yang Yi)