Pumpkin planting improves local lives

Farmers are busy taking care of the pumpkin seedlings in Qingzhen. [Photo/ddcpc website]

On July 4, after a rain shower, Xiaopo village in Qingzhen, Guiyang, Southwest China's Guizhou province, nestled in the mountains, was enveloped in swirling clouds, with the moist air carrying the fragrance of fresh earth.

Inside the Miben pumpkin cultivation base in the village, each pumpkin seedling was thriving. Currently, the pumpkins are in the vine-growing stage. Xia Ziming, a technical staff member hired by Guizhou Huimin Agricultural Products Collection and Distribution Management Co, guided villagers on cultivation and management techniques.

Under the firm's assistance, the village has fully used its land resources and weather conditions to plant the Miben pumpkins.

"We signed a cooperation contract with the village, adopting the 'company + cooperative + rural household' model to run the business. All the initial investments, including costs on seeds, labor, and means of production, are paid by the company," said Li Yongfu, a manager from the firm.

Miben pumpkins feature fast growth, high adaptability, low vulnerability to diseases or pests, and high output. Planting this kind of pumpkin demands fewer techniques, fewer investments, and less labor.

More than 200 metric tons of pumpkins in the village are expected to harvest in mid-August to achieve a total output of around 400,000 yuan ($55,600).