Smart plant factory produces high-quality vegetables, creates jobs in Kuqa, NW China's Xinjiang

Workers harvest hydroponic vegetables at a smart agriculture plant factory in Yongkutongxin village, Kuqa city, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Li Long)

A smart plant factory in Kuqa city, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is growing fresh leafy greens through soilless cultivation, supplying a steady stream of premium vegetables to the local market while creating jobs along the way.

"The vegetables produced here are very popular," said Gulinisam Ehmed, an employee at the facility, as she harvested hydroponic greens on June 17. "Supermarkets, hotels and hotpot restaurants all come to purchase them."

Located in Yongkutongxin village, the smart plant factory is a key aid project supported by Ningbo city in east China's Zhejiang Province.

The facility has introduced advanced hydroponic technologies and equipment from Ningbo-based enterprises, enabling the cultivation of multiple crops that were previously difficult to grow in the local environment.

According to technical expert Guo Huanru, the facility integrates advanced environmental control technology with shallow liquid hydroponic technology.

A smart system continuously monitors and adjusts temperature, light, humidity and air conditions, letting crops grow in a controlled, sterile environment that overcomes local natural constraints, Guo explained, noting that the system significantly shortens growing cycles.

Meanwhile, automated equipment helps ensure quality, producing vegetables described as "free from pesticide residues, heavy metals and synthetic growth regulators," Guo said.

The project has also created local employment opportunities, provided vocational training for agricultural workers, and increased the income of the village collective of Yongkutongxin.

It also supports agricultural science education for nearby schools, delivering both economic and social benefits.

At present, the facility cultivates 14 types of leafy vegetables and six varieties of strawberries, according to Li Songsong, an executive of the plant factory.

The production model not only helps fill the local supply gap for high-quality vegetables in Kuqa, but also enables standardized, stable output for broader domestic markets, connecting the farm to the table for the region's modern agriculture, Li said.

A worker transfers vegetable seedlings to hydroponic cultivation beds at a smart agriculture plant factory in Yongkutongxin village, Kuqa city, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Li Long)

A soilless cultivation nutrient circulation system operates at a smart agriculture plant factory in Yongkutongxin village, Kuqa city, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Li Long)

A worker checks root growth conditions of vegetable seedlings at a smart agriculture plant factory in Yongkutongxin village, Kuqa city, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Li Long)

A worker inspects seedling growth in the nursery room of a smart agriculture plant factory in Yongkutongxin village, Kuqa city, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Li Long)

A worker harvests lettuce bound for local supermarkets at a smart agriculture plant factory in Yongkutongxin village, Kuqa city, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Li Long)

Workers prune tomato branches at a smart agriculture plant factory in Yongkutongxin village, Kuqa city, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Li Long)

A technician tests the pH level of nutrient solutions at a smart agriculture plant factory in Yongkutongxin village, Kuqa city, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Li Long)

Nutrient solutions are used at a smart agriculture plant factory in Yongkutongxin village, Kuqa city, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Li Long)

Strawberries grow in a smart agriculture plant factory in Yongkutongxin village, Kuqa city, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (People's Daily Online/Li Long)