Farmer in E China's Anhui rakes in bountiful profits thanks to grape planting

Liu Fuping is a grape grower in Jianqiao village, Langxi county, Xuancheng city, east China's Anhui Province. When Liu first got engaged in grape planting in 2009, he cultivated a mere 4 mu (0.27 hectares), and in 2013, he expanded his grape planting area to 30 mu as he thought grape planting was set to become a profitable business in the country.

"At the beginning, I was not sure whether this was a good decision as few people were planting grapes in my village and those nearby. But in the end, the business proved that it was a profitable one. The profits generated from 1 mu of farmland planted with grape trees are as much as that generated from 10 mu of farmland planted with field crops," said Liu.

A farmer holds a bunch of grapes in her hands at a grape garden in Jianqiao village, Langxi county, Xuancheng city, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Rui)

In July 2016, when the harvest season was about to begin, a flood damaged all of Liu's fruit. "That year, I suffered a direct economic loss of 500,000 yuan ($72,500), meaning that all my efforts ended up in vain," Liu recalled.

Liu had been overwhelmed by the stress from the natural disaster and his family members were divided on whether he should stick to grape planting. At that time, the local government started to build drainage facilities for the prevention and control of flooding in the locality. Seeing this, Liu felt reassured about the safety of his grape trees if he decided to continue cultivating them. He then regained his confidence and decided that he should give the business another chance.

Liu Fuping (first from right), a grape grower, together with another farmer, check on the growth progress of grapes at Liu's grape garden in Jianqiao village, Langxi county, Xuancheng city, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Rui)

In the past, grapes were planted outdoors. They hit the market late, the yields were poor and the fruit were sold for low prices. The profits generated per mu of grape vines was just 4,000 to 5,000 yuan. In 2020, Liu introduced greenhouses to plant grapes so that the grapes could be harvested earlier than those planted outdoors and consequently they could enter the market earlier.

Currently, Liu's grape fields are in the midst of the harvest season, which runs between mid-July and November. Thanks to the greenhouses, the variety of grapes that Liu grows has been enriched and the harvest season has been extended, guaranteeing a growth in profits for Liu.

Liu projects that about 15,000 kilograms of grapes will be harvested this year, and the profit per mu of farmland is expected to reach 20,000 yuan.

Liu Fuping's father checks on the growth progress of grapes in his son's grape garden. Under the influence of his son, Liu's father has gained some expertise in grape planting. (People's Daily Online/Wang Rui)

Tourists pick grapes at Liu Fuping's grape garden in Jianqiao village, Langxi county, Xuancheng city, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Rui)