Redroot sage planting boosts farmers' incomes in Shandong district

Redroot sage is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Miaoshan town in Jinan's Laiwu district is vigorously promoting the cultivation of redroot sage, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, which has boosted farmers' incomes and effectively driven local rural vitalization efforts.

The sandy soil with good ventilation in Miaoshan town, coupled with the town's mild climate, has created an excellent environment for the growth of danshen, which has high medicinal value.

"We have always focused on the scientific and large-scale cultivation of redroot sage. On one hand, we actively introduce cutting-edge planting technologies, and on the other hand, we closely cooperate with professional research teams to strictly implement standards in all areas, from variety breeding to field management, ensuring the superior quality of the redroot sage," said a representative of the town's Ziguang Ecological Park.

He further added that leveraging the influence of the national geographical indication trademark, along with strict quality control in the ecological park, has made the redroot sage they cultivate highly popular on the market.

The development of the redroot sage industry in Miaoshan town has led to the formation of a relatively mature model, where enterprises sign planting contracts with farmers for protected price purchases. The town currently has a planting area of over 20,000 mu (1,333.3 hectares), earning farmers over 100 million yuan ($13.8 million).

In addition, health products derived from redroot sage, such as redroot sage tea and slices, are also selling well on the market, with an annual output value reaching 8 million yuan. (Edited by Li Weiwei)