State Grid goes all out to aid chrysanthemum growers in Jiangsu

Bu Qishu, a customer service manager at a township-level power supply station, is striving to complete a key task this winter — help chrysanthemum growers achieve greater prosperity by securing their local power supply.

A few days ago, Bu was inspecting electricity services at the Dongli Huatian chrysanthemum base in Chuancheng township, Siyang county, Jiangsu province.

"It is now the peak season for drying chrysanthemums, and power safety must be prioritized in drying rooms," he told growers.

The planting base has just completed a network of 10-kilovolt underground cables that extend for about 920 meters, and two box power transformers, to meet its demand for electricity, with active support from Bu and Siyang County Power Supply Co of the State Grid.

"I planted over 67 hectares of fresh-cut chrysanthemums in five automated temperature-controlled greenhouses, each of which can help me earn some 17,000 yuan ($2,370)," said Zhang Weicai, a grower from Dongli Huatian, "The stable power supply has improved my income."

Bu, who is from State Grid's Chuancheng subbranch under the county branch, said he is happy to see that some 380 households in the township have increased their incomes through the planting and processing of chrysanthemums.

The chrysanthemum business, Chuancheng's pillar industry, covers a wide range, including those for use in teas, medicinal products, food and fresh-cut displays.

With an annual production of about 50 million heads of fresh-cut chrysanthemums and a planting area of over 400 hectares, the small township earns 25 million yuan on average each year.

The chrysanthemum industry needs sufficient electricity supply, as chrysanthemums are usually grown in film-cover and temperature-controlled greenhouses.

However, the old power lines at the greenhouses could not meet the planting demand earlier and were in urgent need of upgrades. That is when Bu began his deep connections with the 80,600 residents of Chuancheng.

In 2018, Bu highlighted the challenges of safe power usage to the Siyang power supply branch of the State Grid, and helped acquire a support fund of 1.2 million yuan from the company. The money was used to install three power distribution transformers and a 400-volt transmission line extending for 2.78 kilometers to meet the increased power demand. A year later, growers received another 3.2 million yuan in support funding.

Chuancheng's well-developed chrysanthemum industry has also provided more job opportunities for local farmers, as its planting, cultivation, fertilization, picking, and drying processes all call for a large number of workers.

During the peak picking season, growers at Dongli Huatian employ some 200 people each day to pick about 200,000 heads.

"I can earn 100 yuan a day by picking chrysanthemums," said Hu Caiqin, 55, who works at the planting base.

"The fresh-cut chrysanthemums grown in our base are of excellent quality and highly favored by South Korean and Japanese consumers. Eighty percent of these are exported, while the rest are sold in the domestic market," said Zhang, the chrysanthemum grower.

Currently, Chuancheng is optimizing its chrysanthemum industry by introducing deep-processing and beverage production lines.

"The expansion of our chrysanthemum industry has a lot to do with the sufficient power supply and thoughtful services provided by Bu and his power station," said Shi Yiliang, who hails from Xiaoshiji village in Chuancheng.

Contact the writers at lijiaying@chinadaily.com.cn