Longli's pea sprouts thrive in Hong Kong and Macao

The gate of the cold storage unit at Guizhou Fengtai Tech Co has recently become crowded with farmers from Longli, a county in Southwest China's Guizhou province, lining up to sell their fresh pea sprouts.

The day after the sale, the sprouts will be sent to Hong Kong and Macao by air, and will be served on the tables of the residents of the two places.

Wei Yufen is one of these farmers. She squeezed out of the crowd holding her daily income of more than 50 yuan, and walked home happily. 

Guizhou Fengtai Tech Co, a company that helps villagers to sell their pea sprouts, plays a significant role in the transaction. "We get the pea sprouts from farmers and can sell them at a pretty good price in the markets of Hong Kong, Macao and Guangzhou," said Ren Zhonglin, office director of the company. "But we must ensure orders of at least one metric ton of pea sprouts every day to run the business."

In fact, "doubei", or the buds of pea sprouts, can be sold at a price as high as HK $536 ($68.86) per kilogram, as they have a unique taste and are produced without any chemical fertilizers. 

Recently, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs recognized Longli's pea sprouts as a "geographical indication product".

The pea sprouts of Longli is a successful example of how agriculture is assisted by technology and the market. In addition, the business makes full use of jobless rural laborers, who cannot seek alternative employment opportunities for a range of reasons.