Organic cauliflowers boost Shandong's rural sector

A grower examines a freshly harvested cauliflower. [Photo by Li Ting for chinadaily.com.cn]

In the chilly winter most farmlands are barren, but in Yingzi village – located in Juancheng county, in East China's Shandong province – the vegetable greenhouses are bustling with activity.

Rows of organic cauliflowers, wrapped in lush green leaves, are ready to be harvested and sold. Zhang Weicheng, who is in charge of the greenhouses, said he expected to earn more than 50,000 yuan ($7,032) per mu (about 0.07 hectares) from the three crops of organic cauliflowers he planted this year.

Zhang, who is also the secretary of the village Party branch, established a planting and breeding cooperative in 2020 – leading the villagers to grow specialized fruits and vegetables, such as watermelons, peppers, [pm1] pears and strawberries.

"Organic cauliflower has a short growth cycle, few pests and diseases and great benefits. It also provides jobs for the villagers who are idle at home," Zhang said.

He plans to expand the planting of organic cauliflowers next year and bring more people in to become prosperous through the growing rural industry. (Edited by Fan Yuanyuan)