Cai Hengwei is a farmer who is currently in the middle of the strawberry harvest season in Diyinhe Village, Zhuanghe City, which is located in northeast China’s Liaoning Province. With beads of sweat on his face, he works tirelessly to pick the strawberries grown in his greenhouses. Inside the greenhouses, the vibrant red of the strawberries contrast beautifully with the lush green leaves. Cai explains that the strawberry season will end in May, so he and his family need to hurry up to get a good harvest. He scans the strawberry plants carefully, looking for ripe ones that are ready to be picked.
Cai’s family has rented two greenhouses that cover an area of about 0.33 hectares. On this particular day, they were able to pick around 40 kg of strawberries. Once the strawberries are picked, they are placed on plates and weighed before being loaded onto a truck that is parked at the entrance of the greenhouse. The purchasing price of the day determines the selling price of the strawberries, which is typically over 800 yuan or approximately 116 U.S. dollars.
Farming is a challenging but rewarding profession, and Cai takes great pride in the work he does. Despite the physical demands of the job, he enjoys being able to grow high-quality produce and provide for his family. The strawberry harvest season is especially busy, and Cai and his family must work long hours to ensure they can harvest as many strawberries as possible before the season comes to an end.
The strawberry harvest is an essential source of income for Cai’s family, and they rely on the profits from their crops to make a living. For many farmers in China, agriculture is their primary means of making ends meet. As such, Cai takes his responsibilities as a farmer seriously and works hard to ensure that his crops are of the highest quality. Through his hard work, Cai is not only able to provide for his family but also contribute to his community’s economy.
Cai proudly states that the gross profit of his two greenhouses, excluding the cost of renting and seedlings, can reach 200,000 yuan. This significant profit margin was achieved from planting seedlings in September of the previous year and harvesting the last season in May. According to Cai, the profits from his greenhouses are better than what he could have earned as a migrant worker.
Diyinhe village, where Cai’s greenhouses are located, used to be a low-income village where farmers struggled to earn a decent living. To increase their income, many villagers had to leave their hometown and take jobs elsewhere. Cai was one of them. After completing his middle school education at the age of 17, he moved to Dalian City and worked various jobs.
For more than ten years, Cai worked away from his hometown, but after getting married and having children, he decided to return home to start a business. Cai saw an opportunity in farming and decided to invest in two greenhouses to grow strawberries. His decision to return to his hometown and start a business has not only provided him with a stable income but also contributed to the local economy.
Through his hard work and dedication, Cai has transformed his family’s financial situation and helped to lift the community out of poverty. His success has also inspired other villagers to invest in agriculture and start their own businesses. Cai is proud to be a farmer and grateful for the support and opportunities that have enabled him to achieve success.
Cai was able to transform his life and the lives of others by investing in agriculture and returning to his hometown to start a business. Cai’s success highlights the potential for growth and development in rural areas and demonstrates the importance of supporting farmers and rural communities.
In 2020, Diyinhe village began constructing greenhouses to develop strawberry planting, with the support of government funds. When Cai returned home, he saw this as a perfect opportunity and immediately signed up for the program. Although he was born in the village, Cai had no prior experience with strawberry planting.
Despite his lack of experience, Cai was eager to learn and get started with his new venture. Unfortunately, his first attempt at planting strawberries in September 2020 failed when all of the seedlings died within a month due to infection. Cai was disheartened to see the withered seedlings in the field, but he did not give up.
Determined to succeed, Cai decided to learn everything he could about strawberry planting. “I learned from scratch, and I learn from whoever grows well,” he said. Cai was motivated to succeed and was not afraid to seek out help and advice from other successful farmers.
Cai’s willingness to learn and determination to succeed are what led him to become a successful strawberry farmer. His story is a reminder of the importance of perseverance and the value of seeking help and learning from others.
Cai Hengwei’s dedication and hard work during the strawberry harvest season are admirable. His efforts are a testament to the importance of agriculture in China and the critical role that farmers play in society. Despite the challenges he faces, Cai remains committed to his work and takes pride in his ability to provide for his family and community.
Strawberry planting is a technical process that involves various steps from seedlings to fertilization. Despite the initial challenges, Cai’s hard work and determination have paid off, and he has now mastered the art of planting strawberries. The strawberries he plants are now plump and have a sweet taste.
Cai’s success has inspired other villagers to follow in his footsteps and start planting strawberries. Li Xiao, a village official, remarked that some villagers have already joined in and increased their income. To further support the villagers, Li invited strawberry planting experts to give a lecture in the village. This initiative proved to be successful, as around 20 villagers attended the lecture.
As a result of the lecture, Cai has new expectations for his strawberry farming venture. He plans to introduce a new and more expensive variety called “Snow White” next year, which has a better market value. Cai’s innovative approach to farming shows his ambition and determination to grow his business further.
Read More: