Shandong farmers welcome bumper grape harvest

In Maji town – located in the Dingtao district of Heze city, in East China's Shandong province – grape farmers are celebrating a bumper harvest of a high-quality grape variety called Shine Muscat.

The farmers – while busy picking, packing and loading the trucks – are also singing and dancing to celebrate their successful harvest and the booming industry.

Local villager Yang Guangrong, who particularly enjoys dancing, expressed her delight about the grape harvest and the lively atmosphere in the vineyards.

Yang Guangrong and her partner check out their grapes in Dingtao district. [Photo by Yan Xiaona for chinadaily.com.cn]

Yang and her partner have planted five mu (0.33 hectares) of grapes and have been busy with the harvesting activities.

Reflecting on the net profit of over 100,000 yuan ($13,701) from last year's harvest, they are thrilled to see an even higher production this year, as each mu can yield 2,500-3,000 kilograms of grapes.

Local grape buyer Zhao Juan highlighted the popularity of the grapes in the market, attributing it to their choice quality and taste.

Through live broadcast platforms like Douyin, the domestic equivalent of TikTok, direct connections with large customers have helped increase sales and improved the distribution efficiency for growers.

Yang Xulong, deputy secretary of the Party committee in Maji town, said that they planned to introduce more grape varieties, extend the picking period and develop rural ecotourism routes to enhance the value of the produce. (Edited by Jin Yongxue)