Xiuwen helps to expand local kiwi fruit industry

Kiwi fruit is one of the main fruit crops cultivated in Xiuwen county administered by Guiyang city, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province.

In order to expand sales, it has introduced scientific planting, industrialized development and brand marketing – promoting the quality and efficiency of kiwi fruit cultivation and helping to boost rural revitalization.

In response to recurrent hail storms, a 2,160-mu (144 hectares) hail net project for kiwi fruit farms is under construction in the county and at present some 1,900 mu of land with the new netting has passed inspections.

As a result, despite this year's hail storms kiwi fruit farms with the anti-hail nets were not affected.

This achievement greatly reduces the risks connected with kiwi fruit cultivation and has reduced the potential losses for farmers  providing a financial safety barrier and encouraging them to plant more.

Xiuwen has also launched a natural cover project for kiwi fruit farms – utilizing the high coverage of clover in order to maximize production, while inhibiting the growth of weeds. This prevents and controls orchard disease and insect pests, enhancing nitrogen soil levels to improve the fertility of the land.

The county's agrochemical services team has also increased the use of biological pesticides in kiwi fruit farms, deploying physical traps and microbial agents to control pests and disease.

In addition, Xiuwen has made full use of idle land with poor yields to develop other crops. To date, Xiaoqing has planted more than 800 mu of pumpkins under kiwi fruit trees and used vacant land to plant more than 100 mu of ornamental and edible sunflowers

This is said to have effectively revitalized idle land resources and boosted the incomes of farmers.

Meanwhile, the county has arranged to train farmers in land management and pest control technology and provide them with product marketing channels and marketing services.