1994: Vegetable farmers strike back

Chapter 263 Gambler
"Mr. Xu, Mr. Huang, why would you want to transfer the shares to me?"

On the first day of March, Chen Jiazhi received such a big surprise.

Only after the agreement was reached did he voice his doubts.

The market is clearly making so much money; even if he were gone, they could easily find someone else to help. Besides, he's not the only one who knows how to grow vegetables.

With sales channels in hand, and by hiring a group of reasonably qualified people, it's impossible to make money like him, but stable profits are still achievable.

Xu Wenxiang pondered for a moment and said, "Because the Spruce Hotel is experiencing operational problems, we need a sum of money to repurchase the shares from other shareholders."

Moreover, hotels are more profitable than farmers' markets.

Chen Jiazhi remembered that she had asked him a while ago if he wanted to buy a house, so he figured she really wanted to sell.

Xu Wenxiang added, "Moreover, growing vegetables relies on luck, which can't last forever; luck will eventually run out."

Chen Jiazhi hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

At this moment, Huang Jianyuan, who was standing to the side, also said: "Yes, Director Chen, it is indeed very satisfying if you win with your planting method, but I have talked to many people during this period, including market owners and experts and professors. They do not agree with this planting method and think it is very risky."

“Peng Qian, Mr. Peng, you’ve met Director Chen before,” Xu Wenxiang said. “Before deciding to transfer the shares, General Manager Huang and I visited him again. He made a rather unpleasant suggestion. Director Chen, would you like to hear it?”

Chen Jiazhi raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

Xu Wenxiang pondered and said, "He said you crave a sense of control and attribute success to your own efforts. But when the blind box of disaster opens randomly, it's all a matter of chance who gets hit. So-called careful planning seems fragile in the face of the power of heaven and earth. At that time, the boundaries of human power will be particularly clear in the face of wind, rain and thunder."

Xu Wenxiang paused for a moment, then said, "In agriculture, a field that is most dependent on the weather, excessive self-confidence often becomes a fig leaf for self-deception."

When disaster strikes, the fortresses built upon knowledge and resources often prove to be nothing more than wishful thinking sandcastles.

After speaking, Xu Wenxiang looked at Chen Jiazhi, whose expression remained calm, and asked, "Aren't you moved at all?"

Chen Jiazhi smiled, "It's kind of you to remember so clearly."

"Because we've learned our lesson the hard way," Xu Wenxiang said. "When we first invested in the vegetable market, all the investors were very confident. We had plenty of capital, we had sales channels, we leased hundreds of acres of land to grow premium leafy vegetables, invested heavily in construction, and hired technicians at high salaries."

As a result, the plum rains arrived early, followed by a rare flood in the summer, turning the base into a vast swamp. Even the most substantial capital was futile against the overwhelming floodwaters.

Chen Jiazhi laughed and said, "But I succeeded twice in a row."

Xu Wenxiang crossed her arms, frowned, and said, "So, are you still indulging in the illusion that man can conquer nature?"

Huang Jianyuan said, "Old Peng also said that every year there are a few lucky people like you who make a fortune because of the 'precise avoidance' of a disaster, but this kind of luck is just the prelude to the next bigger risk."

For example, regarding this batch of chili peppers, Mr. Peng said that if they had planted Chinese cabbage, they could have grown two crops and the profit might have been higher, but now that they are planting sweet peppers, they are more likely to have gained nothing.

At the same time, it's even more important not to put all your eggs in one basket; you should plant a variety of crops and stagger crop rotations..."

The two took turns sharing their insights on growing vegetables, clearly having done their homework.

Chen Jiazhi's face remained expressionless.

Compared to his awe of the impermanence of heaven and earth, and his understanding of the weight of luck, Xu Wenxiang and Huang Jianyuan combined were nothing compared to him, and even Old Peng did not have as profound an understanding as he did.

Ten years of wealth comes from good management; sudden riches come from luck.

When vegetable prices soar, it's often when Mother Earth frowns.

Good weather can only guarantee a break-even point with minimal profit; the ultimate secret to huge profits lies in the favor of nature.

He dares to bet so heavily time and time again because he is a reborn person and has enough confidence!

Um... this batch of bell peppers was a complete gamble.
He probably understood that, besides his departure and need for funds to buy back the hotel shares, the experts' disapproval of his planting model must have also struck a chord with both of them.

Chen Jiazhi highly approves of Mr. Peng's philosophy.

The myth of getting rich overnight in the vegetable garden is often the result of fate rolling the dice. Mistaking accidental luck for inevitable strength is the most expensive illusion on the road to agriculture.

Therefore, in his previous life, he always sought stability when growing vegetables.

But things are different now.

Even if this batch of chili peppers fails, it won't have much of an impact on him; he will still be able to win time and time again in the future.

This is his own version of natural disaster economics!
Chen Jiazhi pondered for a moment and said, "Since you don't trust me, why don't you transfer all your shares to me?"

"..."

After another brief silence, Xu Wenxiang said, "Don't you want our clients in Hong Kong anymore?"

Chen Jiazhi said, "It's optional."

Xu Wenxiang: "I want to keep 10%."

Chen Jiazhi then looked at Huang Jianyuan, who smiled and said, "I also want to keep 10%."

Chen Jiazhi couldn't help but roll his eyes at the two of them, his words full of disdain, but his actions betrayed his true feelings.

To ease the awkwardness, Huang Jianyuan said, "Since Director Chen likes gambling so much, how about we play a couple of hands sometime?"

"I don't gamble."

"Let me introduce you to two Hong Kong business owners."

"We can have tea together~"

The negotiations went more smoothly than expected, and all three were very satisfied with the outcome.

Xu Wenxiang and Huang Jianyuan were more optimistic about the hotel business, while Chen Jiazhi was more interested in his specialty, growing vegetables—everyone was happy!
In the following days, Chen Jiazhi focused his energy on the change of ownership of the vegetable market, and he didn't pay attention to it even when the Dongxiang vegetable market started producing a large quantity of vegetables again.

After several busy days, the matter was finally resolved.

The name remains unchanged: Huacheng Jiangxin Farm Co., Ltd. Chen Jiazhi holds 80% of the shares, while Xu and Huang each hold 10%.

After that, all the finances fell into Chen Jiazhi's hands, and the company still had more than 60 yuan in its accounts.

However, he still appointed Xu Yao as the accountant.

Apart from adding a sales department, there were no major changes to the overall management system of the market.

He transferred Li Cai to the sales department, while Xue Jun, Chen Zhengxu, and Ao Dehai assisted with sales at the Dongxiang vegetable market.

Xue Jun didn't go home for the Spring Festival. He got his driver's license and practiced regularly until he could drive on the road without any problems.

In another three months or so, the management team of Dongxiang Market will gradually be merged into Jiangxin Market, including sales and delivery.

In this way, all sections are returned to a single entity, making management more convenient.

At that time, in terms of sales channels, in addition to supplying Hong Kong, Huacheng's wholesale and distribution will also continue to exert efforts.

The area of ​​the market can also be expanded further from its current size.

If all goes well, a second base can be set up, which could be located in Jianggao Town, which is closer to the wholesale market.

Once things stabilize, we can also take over the stalls in the Gangnam Market...

After Chen Jiazhi had figured out the next steps in his development strategy, it was already the afternoon of March 5th.

Chen Zhengxu knocked on his office door.

The Dongxiang vegetable market has been producing large quantities of vegetables for five consecutive days, but the owner hasn't been there once, which makes Chen Zhengxu, who is in charge, a little uneasy.

"Uncle, it's Sunday today, let me tell you about this week's sales."

"Okay, is there a record? Let me see it."

"Have."

Since the Spring Festival, the price of snow peas has started a new round of decline, dropping from 2.5 yuan/jin to 1.5 yuan/jin.

On the contrary, the output was very stable, and 17,000 yuan was sold in February.

The new batch of bok choy and mustard greens went on sale in the early hours of the 1st of this month.

Choy sum is 20 yuan per piece, and mustard greens are 12 yuan per piece. The prices are a bit tight, but this is the normal market price.

When the weather is favorable, vegetable prices are low. The cold wave has been over for two months, and leafy greens have already come out, making market competition more intense.

Fortunately, the yield is good. We can produce more than 90 pieces of bok choy, 140 pieces of mustard greens, and a steady 300-plus kilograms of snow peas a day.

Based on this yield, the yield of Chinese cabbage is about 2800 jin per mu and the yield of mustard greens is about 4000 jin per mu, both of which are considered relatively high yields.

In addition, there's a slight premium for delivery.

Daily sales reached 4000 to 4200 yuan, and total sales for the first five days of March reached approximately 20,000 yuan.

After deducting all costs, the actual profit is rather meager, around 20-30%.

Chen Zhengxu said, "The price of vegetables has a huge impact. We sell a lot of vegetables every day, but we don't collect much money."

"Your standards are quite high." Chen Jiazhi was fairly satisfied and laughed, "A drizzle is the norm."

Chen Zhengxu sighed softly, "The difference is too great. Two or three months ago, this many vegetables could easily fetch tens of thousands of yuan."

Chen Jiazhi pondered for a moment and said, "We'll have to get used to it. Being overly ambitious won't work. The most reliable way to grow vegetables is to be stable."

Chen Zhengxu curled his lip, "Uncle, aren't you ashamed at all saying that?"

"What's there for me to be ashamed of? I'm the most reliable person!" Chen Jiazhi glared at him unkindly. "Go do what you're supposed to do, and go pick up girls if you have nothing else to do."

After driving Chen Zhengxu away, Chen Jiazhi also went out to the fields.

The 300 mu of snow peas are still lush and tall, completely shading the vegetable workers picking the pods.

The harvest has been going on for almost 60 days, but it is still in its peak production period. Each acre can still pick more than 30 catties of bean pods per day, and sell for around 2 yuan a day.

This is the source of confidence for the other half of the open space in Jiangxin Market.

Therefore, instead of planting leafy vegetables with low profit margins, it's better to take a gamble on sweet peppers; even if it fails, it won't be a major setback.

But looking at the lush bell pepper seedlings, Chen Jiazhi felt it would be difficult to fail.

With fertile, loose soil and robust seedlings, which took more than 40 days of careful preparation, half the battle in terms of yield and quality was won.

It all depends on the weather and prices later on.

On the seedbed, the vegetable worker is watering the sweet pepper seedlings in the seedling trays for the last time.

The next day.

As dawn broke, the vegetable farmers gathered at the base to transplant the sweet peppers that had been growing for more than 40 days.

The farmers, wielding hoes, dug planting holes, planted the robust pepper seedlings into the holes, straightened them, covered them with soil, and compacted the soil in one smooth and skillful motion.

As the days passed, the neat rows of chili pepper plants unfurled their new leaves, brimming with vitality.

Whenever Chen Jiazhi looks at this beautiful scenery, he thinks of Xu Wenxiang, Huang Jianyuan, and even Peng Qian's disapproval of his crop of vegetables.

And there's Luo Yi, the one who sells seeds~
He felt like a gambler, hoping his opponent would lose so he could keep winning.

(End of this chapter)