Era: I was a farmer at the foot of Yaoling Mountain

The newly cultivated seawater rice has a significantly improved taste and flavor. The key is that the rice has a slight aroma and is no longer as coarse and difficult to swallow as before.

Compared to the issue of production volume, the texture and taste are the most difficult problems to solve.

“Secretary Fang, this is simply a miracle. Do you know why we couldn’t continue our research after more than ten years? First, we couldn’t solve the problem of yield, and most importantly, we couldn’t solve the problem of taste and flavor.”

Sea red rice is difficult to swallow, so it is destined not to be a substitute for ordinary rice and can only be used for other purposes, such as extracting bioethanol.

Or it could serve as a supplement to staple food during extraordinary times, but the problem is that these are not extraordinary times, so it is destined that sea red rice will have no market.

However, Fang Wei overcame both of these difficulties one by one, and seawater rice is about to usher in its spring, which makes Professor Ma and Professor Lin extremely excited.

A long-cherished dream of more than a decade is about to become a reality; who wouldn't be excited?
"Professor Ma, Professor Lin, I plan to carry out a new round of cultivation. My ultimate goal is to achieve a yield of 1600 jin per mu or more, with excellent quality and a taste and flavor that is acceptable to the general public."

The group ate and chatted, with Fang Wei and Professor Ma doing most of the talking, while Professor Lin mainly listened.

Finally, Fang Wei revealed his goal.

"Huh? Secretary Fang, isn't your target too high? Actually, I think we can finalize the current variety and then gradually improve it later."

Professor Ma disagreed with Fang Wei's idea and then offered a word of advice in a prestigious manner.

That's not how you do scientific research. You have to take it one step at a time. After achieving your initial goals, you can apply for approval. Then you can gradually improve the research, and each successful improvement allows you to apply again.

No one can achieve perfection in one go; doing so would actually be counterproductive.

“You’re right. Well then, I’ll do two more rounds of cultivation, and then we can consider finalizing the design.”

After all, they were partners, so Fang Wei thought about it and made a compromise.

He could understand Professor Ma and Professor Lin's anxious feelings. The two had wasted more than a decade on seawater rice, and now that they had finally seen the light at the end of the tunnel, it was normal for them to be anxious.

To spare the feelings of both of them, he decided to end the first phase of the research early.

Professor Ma and Professor Lin exchanged a glance, then nodded in satisfaction.

The two stayed at the experimental field for three days. Before leaving, they left Wang Muqi a sum of money, which accounted for exactly 30% of the total investment.

Fang Wei didn't argue with them about these things. Money was a minor issue, but the attitude they showed still made him feel gratified.

Next, Wang Muqi and his team will not only conduct a new round of seawater rice seed cultivation, but also plant seawater rice in another 200 mu of experimental fields.

This is not only to verify the planting of seawater rice, but also to verify its effect on soil improvement in tidal flats (saline-alkali land).

Fang Wei believes that if the soil improvement effect can be achieved, its significance may be more important than the seawater rice itself.

Time flies.

Fang Wei stayed at the experimental field for nearly ten days, and then went to Guangzhou with Pan Lianhua and her sister.

The group company happened to be holding a spring planting work meeting, which he attended, but he didn't offer any opinions. He no longer needed to worry about such matters; he was confident that Lin Bingkun and Yaoling Agriculture would handle the task well.

"Chairman, I have received reliable information that several major companies are currently working overtime to produce goods, and product flow is also accelerating. I estimate that they will be making a big move, otherwise they would not be so actively stocking up."

morning.

Fang Wei was handling official business in the chairman's office when Yang Feng knocked on the door and came in.

The other party mentioned the undercurrents in the current edible oil market and predicted that several major players might suddenly launch a price war.

Fang Wei took the documents Yang Feng handed him, read them carefully twice, and immediately realized that the problem was very serious.

"Go and inform General Manager Lin, General Manager Lu, and others to hold a meeting."

Fang Wei immediately convened an emergency meeting, and Yu Hao, who happened to be in Guangzhou, also rushed over.

Yang Feng briefed the meeting on the latest developments and then predicted that several major edible oil giants might suddenly launch a price war.

After all, Yaoling brand cooking oil has grown too rapidly, and its market share is now comparable to any industry giant. This is alarming; if no measures are taken, it may be too late.

Fang Wei listened to everyone's opinions, and then, without further ado, directly offered his own suggestions:

"My point is simple: we can't wait for others to make the first move; we should take the initiative. We'll immediately lower the price again, bringing the price of cooking oil back to what it was before the company raised prices."

After he finished speaking, the conference room fell silent.

Why? Because Fang Wei's move was too ruthless, directly cutting the company's edible oil profits in half.

Of course, this tactic isn't just ruthless to oneself; it's even more ruthless to the enemy. It's important to understand that international oilseed crop prices remain high, and domestically produced oilseed crops are also not cheap due to cost and other factors.

By doing so, the major players have effectively shut down any room for price reductions.

Moreover, since Yaoling Group initiated this matter, they have firmly seized the initiative. Don't underestimate the difference between a simple matter of order; it makes a huge difference. "Secretary, your suggestion is excellent, but there's one issue I wonder if you've considered? Our actions will also be a major blow to other edible oil companies in China."

Lu Zhiwen is skilled in business management and is very good at market analysis and marketing.

He certainly understood the power of Fang Wei's move, but he had to remind him that once this move was used, it would offend more than just those few bigwigs.

Perhaps the few remaining edible oil companies in China will be the first to succumb.

"Even if we don't do this, the major players will still engage in a price war, and the result will be the same."

Fang Wei didn't offer any further explanation. The tides of time will eventually wash away the sand; whether he uses this trick or not, the final outcome will be the same.

"Understood! Let's do it that way."

"I also support the Party Secretary's suggestion."

Fang Wei's suggestion was unanimously approved, and Lin Bingkun, Yu Hao, and others began to formulate a plan, which will be implemented soon.

On the same day that Yaoling brand cooking oil announced another significant price reduction, he flew to Beijing to attend the annual meeting.

The edible oil market is once again in turmoil, with Yaoling brand edible oil directly bringing its price back to its original level, before the significant price increase.

This caught the major players off guard. They were prepared to wage a price war, but none of them expected that the other party would not only take the initiative but also launch a major attack.

During the meeting.

Liang Wenhui didn't know how many times he had called Fang Wei, but no one answered.

Fang Wei was peacefully holding meetings in Beijing, while many people outside were going crazy.

The topics of this meeting were all normal, with a lot of discussion on reducing the burden on farmers. Many delegates have already put forward proposals to abolish agricultural taxes.

Fang Wei knew very well that the abolition of agricultural tax was only a matter of a few years, an inevitable trend that could not be stopped.

To his surprise, a representative mentioned the chaos in the edible oil market in the past two years, where several giants used their strength to crush more than 90% of the domestic edible oil companies in a short period of time.

In response to the sharp rise in cooking oil prices since last year, some have suggested that price intervention is necessary.

“Secretary Fang is the most qualified to speak on this matter, after all, Yaoling Group’s edible oil has emerged as a dark horse, and recently it has taken the initiative to significantly reduce prices.”

Many people are unaware of the ever-changing landscape of the cooking oil market, and the information they have is outdated.

However, some insightful people pointed out that not only was the edible oil market in turmoil again, but also that Fang Wei was the protagonist of this price war.

"My thinking is simple: we cannot allow the major giants to manipulate the market and seize excessive profits. I disagree with the notion of a price war. Our company's price reductions this time are mainly aimed at reducing the burden on consumers."

This was a very serious occasion, and Fang Wei didn't want to be labeled as someone who initiated a price war.

The blame should fall on the major players; he had to put Yaoling Group on the moral high ground. In fact, what he said was true; the actions of the major players were solely aimed at extracting excessive profits.

The underlying logic is no different from the internet wars of several years later: using financial advantages to crush all competitors, and then using monopoly advantages to make money.

"Secretary Fang has a higher level of awareness! We support Secretary Fang's attitude of considering consumers and firmly oppose industry monopolies."

Most of the delegates supported Yaoling Group's actions because the major players had gone too far and their behavior was too unseemly.

After the meeting, Fang Wei received a notification that the head of the relevant department wanted to talk to him.

This was not unexpected for him. The chaos in the edible oil market had been going on for a long time, and it was impossible for the relevant departments to be completely unaware of it.

The reason why no measures have been taken so far is probably to avoid affecting the overall situation.

"Comrade Fang Wei, do you think Yaoling Group can survive the encirclement and suppression by several major giants?"

Previously, the domestic edible oil market was almost entirely dominated by a few giants, but with the sudden rise of Yaoling brand edible oil, their plans fell through.

However, the counterattack from the major giants will be fierce, and no one knows whether the few remaining domestic edible oil companies can survive.

This includes Yaoling Group.

"I don't know if we can make it through, but we will fight them to the end. However, we are not without a chance of winning. In the past, the giants tried to monopolize the market by relying on their capital and cost advantages. Now, apart from their capital advantage, they no longer have a cost advantage."

Fang Wei answered cautiously, but she explained things clearly enough.

The relevant departments have been hesitant to intervene directly, and after Yaoling brand cooking oil made a remarkable comeback, they are even less likely to intervene in the market.

"That's good! We hope to operate under market rules, and the key is for domestic companies to prove themselves."

The conversation lasted for an hour before Fang Wei left the meeting room. (End of Chapter)