Asparagus paves the way to prosperity for Shandong's county

Xiaojing town, nestled within Dongming county, Shandong province, strategically harnesses its local environmental assets to uplift its villagers towards common prosperity. This is achieved through the cultivation of asparagus, transforming it into a thriving local specialty industry.

Villagers harvest the ripe asparagus. [Photo by Hu Tejia/for chinadaily.com.cn]

At the Antai Ecological Agricultural Park in Fantun village, asparagus thrives abundantly. Villagers bustle through the fields, skillfully harvesting the ripe stalks, creating a vibrant and cheerful atmosphere.

After harvesting, another team is expected to carefully select and sort the asparagus into three grades based on size. Subsequently, the vegetables are meticulously packed and distributed to various regions across China for sale.

Freshly harvested asparagus from the fields. [Photo by Hu Tejia/for chinadaily.com.cn]

"The type of asparagus we are planting is called 'green diamond', which is known for its excellent texture and quality. Many customers have reached out to us to purchase all of our produce at higher prices compared to other types," said Lu Wensheng, Party secretary of the Fantun village in Xiaojing town.

Dongming county is located in the downstream plain of the Yellow River in southwestern Shandong, and the region benefits from ideal light and soil conditions, making it an excellent location for growing asparagus. In Fantun village, the utilization of secondary-plowed land has spurred the establishment of the Antai cooperative, focusing on cultivating high-value economic crops. This initiative has revitalized previously dormant farmland, effectively transforming wasteland into valuable resources and contributing to the growth of the local incomes. (Edited by Zhang Ying)