Expert helps farmers in E China’s Anhui increase incomes

Workers work at a greenhouse in Bazhang village, Suzhou city, east China’s Anhui Province. (People’s Daily Online/Tao Tao)

Farmers were recently seen grafting watermelon seedlings onto pumpkin seedlings at a greenhouse of a cooperative in Bazhang village, Suzhou city, east China’s Anhui Province.

Wang Shouxing, head of the cooperative, said that grafting can be very effective in preventing watermelon blight and ensuring a better taste, and thus better sales of the fruit.

“700,000 watermelon seedlings can be planted at a greenhouse covering about 3,000 square meters, and the output value can reach 500,000 yuan (about $72,925) to 600,000 yuan,” Wang Shouxing said, adding that the cooperative can plant about 10 million watermelon seedlings in a year.

Wang Pengcheng is an agricultural expert who was sent to the village and who heads an agricultural technology team in the city. The expert will bring more benefits to the long-term development of the cooperative, said Wang Shouxing.

“We plan to realize mechanized seedling cultivation and grafting, which can make the operation four times more efficient. When the time comes, our cooperative’s revenue will multiply, which will help thicken farmers’ pockets,” Wang Shouxing said.