Jiayu upscaling cabbage farming

With the continuous work of generations of agricultural scientists, a domestically bred cabbage variety has not only helped Jiayu county in Central China's Hubei province reduce its reliance on imported seeds, but has also made it a fine example of the integration of agricultural innovation and industrial development.

The county in Xianning has 180,000 mu (12,000 hectares) producing 720,000 metric tons of cabbage a year, local statistics show. Its efforts to strengthen the industry begin with the seed.

China has relied heavily on imported cabbage seeds since the 1980s. However, high prices and unstable supplies made it hard for farmers to increase their incomes, said Qiu Zhengming, chief scientist with the Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

In 2008, Jiayu began working with the team of Fang Zhiyuan of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences to develop cabbage varieties more suited to local conditions.

After 10 years of research, Zhonggan 1305, a variety bred for winter cultivation, was introduced in 2018 and has become a major winter cabbage variety in the Yangtze River basin.

The variety covers nearly 100,000 mu in the county, accounting for 70 percent of its winter cabbage planting area.

The county is also using digital tools to improve how vegetables are grown.

At a vegetable science and technology demonstration park, a network of sensors monitors field temperature, humidity and pest activity around the clock.

A digital platform helps standardize production, from raising seedlings to managing crops and harvesting, Qiu said.

A linked QR code system also allows consumers to trace vegetables back to the plots where they were grown, he said.

It is important to use technology to improve production, Qiu said, adding that the aim is to keep vegetables affordable for consumers while ensuring growers can make a profit.

The industry also provides jobs for nearby villagers.

At a local vegetable growing base, Pan Jin'e spends the busy September season transplanting cabbage seedlings. She can plant two mu and earn 220 yuan ($32.85) a day.

The seedlings planted in mid-September will be ready for harvest by late November, she said.

During peak vegetable planting season, over 30 workers like Pan were hired to transplant, weed and water crops, said Zhu Wenjing, head of the base.

"Many nearby villagers take these jobs, and they can earn a steady income close to home," Zhu said.

In 2025, Jiayu's vegetable planting area covered 460,000 mu and the county produced 1.36 million tons of vegetables, with an output value of 6.4 billion yuan, according to local statistics.

In addition to supplying domestic markets, its vegetables were also sold to countries including South Korea, Japan and Russia.

Ma Jiliang, a researcher at the Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said that Jiayu shows how scientific research can support local industries.

Building a regional vegetable brand with a geographical indication depends on science and technology, he said, adding that varieties with independent intellectual property rights are key to the industry's competitiveness.

China now accounts for more than half of global vegetable production and about 40 percent of consumption, Ma said, adding that the industry's focus is shifting toward better quality and higher returns.

"For farmers, that means earning more from growing vegetables. And for consumers, it means having high-quality vegetables in their plates," he said.