1994: Vegetable farmers strike back

Chapter 334 The Last Train to Seedling Cultivation

Seedling orders from seed production companies~
When Chen Jiazhi heard this, his heart started racing. He glanced at Peng Qian beside him, but Peng Qian didn't seem to be moved much.

"Vegetable types supplied..."

Chen Jiazhi stood on the land of the Yuanmou County Farm, still muttering to himself.

Zhong Jiakai, who is in his early 30s, was also present. "Yes, I asked the seed production companies, and they have this need!"

Chen Jiazhi asked, "Is it available now?"

Zhong Jiakai nodded, but Chen Jiazhi noticed a moment of hesitation in him and understood that the seedling order was just a pretext to win him over.

However, in the long run, what he said makes a lot of sense.

Yuanmou is not only a major county for winter and early spring vegetables, but also a major seed production county, currently mainly producing corn and wheat.

However, it has great potential for vegetable seed production.

Between seedling cultivation for the production of various types of vegetables and seedling cultivation for commercial vegetables, the former has significantly greater potential, and the key is that it can be realized in a timely manner.

Chen Jiazhi asked, "Secretary Zhong, what kinds of vegetable seeds are being produced here?"

"Tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, onions, and peppers." This time, Zhong Jiakai answered decisively, giving five categories at once.

Chen Jiazhi nodded, his mind leaning in one direction, but he didn't make a decision on the spot.

After returning to the hotel in the county town, I had another discussion with Peng Qian, Ji Song, and Li Mingkun.

The discussion was basically focused on Xinghuo Village, where Nengyu and Yuanma lived.

Both places have their own advantages.

However, Chen Jiazhi highly values ​​Xinghuo Village's scientific research and market advantages.

Zhong Jiakai is an ambitious man, and he also told Chen Jiazhi about raising funds to build an expert building.

However, the purpose was not to ask him for money, but to demonstrate that the village committee was improving research conditions, that he himself was knowledgeable about breeding, and that the villagers also had experience in seed production.

This is highly beneficial for the local area to continue attracting breeders and seed companies with a need for southern breeding programs.

Any research institutions and seed production companies that come to the nursery are potential customers.

So what will the future development of the vegetable seed industry in Yuanmou look like?
Chen Jiazhi recalls that it was very strong and was one of the pillar industries in the area.

At the same time, because Zhong Jiakai is a village cadre with a background in breeding, he is technically skilled and has long served as the head steward of the seed base, serving researchers. Therefore, he should not have the bad habits of ordinary village cadres who demand bribes or kickbacks.
Li Mingkun listened the whole way and said, "Nengyu is actually quite good. There are many farmers growing vegetables, so it feels like it will be easier to sell them."

In Xinghuo Village, however, we saw more corn seed production and fewer vegetables, suggesting that seed companies might have difficulty securing seedling orders.

Chen Jiazhi then asked Peng Qian and Ji Song, but the two were also unsure and felt that both sides were acceptable.

He smiled and asked, "What's restricting the development of the vegetable industry in Yuanmou?"

"transportation."

"transportation."

"Transportation capacity".

The three of them gave similar answers without prior arrangement.

Chen Jiazhi laughed and said, "If the product is seeds, would this transportation capacity limitation still exist?"

He took a sip of tea, and amidst the three men's surprised and doubtful gazes, said, "Even if there are any, they are very limited."

Unlike vegetables, transportation capacity has limited the expansion speed of the Yuanmou vegetable industry. Coupled with farmers' lack of awareness, it is difficult for commercial vegetable seedling cultivation to achieve significant results in the short term.

But what about cultivating seedlings for various types of vegetables?
Its final product is seeds, which have virtually no transportation limitations. As long as it can attract enough breeding companies, the market for seed vegetable seedling production is vast!

"Brilliant!" Peng Qian clapped his hands in praise: "President Chen, no wonder you can become a boss at such a young age, this analysis is brilliant!"

Ji Song and Li Mingkun were also intrigued. After thinking for a moment, Li Mingkun asked, "Can Xinghuo Village attract more vegetable seed production companies?"

Chen Jiazhi countered, "You've all met Zhong Jiakai, what did you think of him?"

Peng Qian pondered for a moment and said, "Breeding is actually very hard work. Just for the fact that he raised funds to build the expert building, I think he deserves to be highly regarded. He himself understands breeding and seed production and has made friends with many scientific research institutions and enterprises."

Moreover, Xinghuo Village itself is part of the Yuanmou base of China Seed Company. The current state-owned enterprise reform has led to unclear management, but this chaos will end sooner or later.

The climate conditions of Yuanmou, a natural greenhouse, also make it an indispensable location for the country to plan its seed industry.

Li Mingkun said, "What if we still rely mostly on corn for seed production?"

“No,” Chen Jiazhi said. “Yuanmou’s corn seed production industry is too small. The country should consider transferring it to other regions when making overall plans.”

Li Mingkun was surprised; they were even analyzing national policies now?

Seeing that Peng Qian did not refute him, he did not say anything more.

The truth is, Peng Qian had heard rumors that the country was planning to launch the "Seed Project," and he was also wondering if Chen Jiazhi had a deeper connection to the project.

After discussion, the location of the seedling nursery was decided: Yuanmou County Farm.

It must be said that Zhong Jiakai has found the right focus and provided a new market direction for seedling farms: breeding seedlings for seed production companies.

Meanwhile, they continued to promote plug seedlings to farmers. The market potential that could be realized in a short period of time even tempted Chen Jiazhi to invest more, but he ultimately restrained himself. Two million was already more than enough, and there was no rush.

After receiving the results, Chen Jiazhi contacted Ma Ming to inform him of his choice, and they quickly began the next steps.

Ultimately, they rented a plot of land of more than 150 mu (approximately 10 hectares) from the original county farm to use as a seedling nursery and demonstration base.

This made Zhong Jiakai extremely happy.

Zhong Jiakai was almost always willing to grant Chen Jiazhi's requests. When Chen needed collective land to build an office building, Zhong Jiakai directly led people to handle the paperwork.

Chen Jiazhi, Peng Qian, and others all thought he would bring up the issue of raising funds for the 'Experts' Building,' but several days passed and they didn't hear anything about it.

Chen Jiazhi had no choice but to take the initiative to inquire about the matter and offered to provide some assistance within his capacity.

Upon hearing this, Zhong Jiakai firmly refused.

"Mr. Chen, how can this be? You've only just arrived, and I'm already taking your money? That would be too inappropriate."

Chen Jiazhi smiled and said, "This is my contribution to the development of the country's seed industry. It's not much money, just 20,000 yuan. In the future, the seedling farm will also need Secretary Zhong to introduce breeders and seed companies from all over the country."

After saying that, Chen Jiazhi took out 20,000 yuan in cash from his bag and stuffed it directly into Zhong Jiakai's hand.

"This is so embarrassing."

"Secretary Zhong, please don't refuse. Just introduce a few more customers to the seedling farm and you'll get everything back."

“Alright, then I won’t be coy.” There was no one else in the office. Zhong Jiakai first called over the village accountant, gave him the money, and then said, “In another ten or twenty days, research experts and people from the seed company should be coming. I will definitely introduce you to them then.”

Chen Jiazhi laughed and said, "Haha, good. If I am still in Yuanmou at that time, I will definitely have to trouble Secretary Zhong. The daily work here will be handled by Lao Li, while the professional matters will be handled by Lao Peng and Ji Song."

Zhong Jiakai readily agreed: "Yes, I know everyone here. Just come to me if you need anything in the future."

Li Mingkun immediately continued, "There is indeed something I need to trouble Secretary Zhong with. The seedling nursery and the demonstration base each need a person with technical expertise, and I would like to trouble Secretary Zhong to recommend two people."

"You guys aren't troubling me, you're doing me a favor."

Zhong Jiakai shook his head and smiled, then took out cigarettes and offered them to the two of them. "If you're talking about someone who understands technology, I actually have someone I can recommend."

Previously, there was a county science and technology commission that assigned a science and technology officer, also called a township science and technology assistant, to each township. They were responsible for promoting and applying agricultural science knowledge and technology in rural areas.

Last year, as Party and government agencies streamlined their structures, county and township science and technology commissions were also to be abolished. Science and technology officers in various townships were busy looking for a way out, but some township science and technology assistants without official positions could not find a way out and ultimately had to go back to farming.

Our Xinghuo Village has such a talent. After graduating from agricultural high school, he passed the county science and technology commission's exam and was hired as a science and technology officer, a position he held for eight years.

He can grow rice, cultivate winter and early-season vegetables, graft fruit trees, and raise pigs scientifically. He is proficient in everything.

"If you're interested, I'll take you to see him right now."

Since things had come to this point, there was no reason not to meet them. Soon, led by Zhong Jiakai, the group arrived at the foot of the mountain.

Zhong Jiakai pointed to a mud house in front and said, "That's Wang Yongxiang's house. This rice paddy also belongs to him. It's growing quite well, isn't it? Back then, he was promoting the 'Double Dragons Emerging from the Sea' rice cultivation technique every day in a remote, poor village. As a result, the villagers didn't understand, and Wang Yongxiang was even accused of sabotaging production. But in the end, the average yield per mu of the more than 300 mu of rice using the 'Double Dragons Emerging from the Sea' cultivation technique exceeded the village's highest record. Wang Yongxiang even made it into the county newspaper!"
Oh, and he planted all those citrus trees too, and he even grafted honey tangerines onto them. He makes some money selling them every year.”

The scenery in the fields is exceptionally beautiful.

Rice paddies, vegetable fields, fruit trees, chickens and ducks, and a few large, fat pigs that can be vaguely seen in the pigsty.

Just by looking at this property, you can tell that Wang Yongxiang is indeed very skilled at farming.

"Yongxiang, Yongxiang!"

"Who is it?"

A bronze-skinned man and woman suddenly stood up from a corner of the rice paddy.

Wang Yongxiang, barely taller than the rice paddies, spoke in thick local dialect, "Secretary Zhong, what's up?"

Zhong Jiakai shouted, "Come out quickly, I've come to introduce you to a job. A seedling farm invested in by an out-of-town boss wants you to be a technician."

Having worked in training and publicity for many years, Wang Yongxiang reacted quickly and knew that the village had attracted investment.

A short while later, he led the group into his home, then asked his wife and children to pick some ripe tangerines for them to quench their thirst before they began to discuss business.

No further introduction is needed; just looking at the condition of Wang Yongxiang's farmland, one can tell that the person Zhong Jiakai recommended is reliable.

The recruitment process went smoothly.

The salary level in Yuanmou is much lower than that in Huacheng, and the salary that Chen Jiazhi offered to Wang Yongxiang was very competitive in the local area.

Wang Yongxiang readily agreed and immediately devoted himself to the construction of the seedling nursery. He also recommended a former township science and technology assistant from the Science and Technology Commission to join the project.

A rudimentary seedling nursery team gradually took shape.

During this period, Chen Jiazhi also contacted Li Xiu, Yi Dinggan, and Li Cai by phone several times, and the operation of the vegetable market and stalls went smoothly.

According to Li Xiu, the market is doing well recently, and the profits in August will not be lower than in July, so he doesn't need to rush back.

Winter and early-season vegetables account for more than 80% of the annual vegetable planting in Yuanmou, which means that July to October is the peak season for vegetable seedling use in Yuanmou.

If the seedling nursery is set up quickly, it might be able to catch the last train.

(End of this chapter)