1994: Vegetable farmers strike back

Chapter 421 Ambition
People have different pursuits, and Chen Zhengxu has shown a strong sense of career ambition.

It was getting dark, so Chen Jiazhi and Li Cai went to the stall together.

As evening approaches, the market begins to bustle, with noise and the smell of sweat mingling together.

Stall number 63 was also receiving its stock. Chen Jiazhi walked over and examined today's samples.

The variety of vegetables is becoming increasingly diverse, including bok choy, Chinese kale, mustard greens, Shanghai bok choy, romaine lettuce, lettuce, and baby bok choy.

When Li Cai arrived at the stall, he first checked the quality of the vegetables for the day, and randomly unloaded a box of mustard greens from the car to conduct a spot check.

Chen Jiazhi said, "The mustard greens from Pengcun should be on the market soon."

Li Cai held out a handful of mustard greens, examined them closely, and replied, "Soon, they'll be on the market before National Day. However, this batch hasn't been frosted, so the quality won't be at its best."

Chen Jiazhi pondered for a moment and said, "Being of better quality than ordinary mustard greens gives us an advantage."

Li Cai paused for a moment and said, "At least that's true for the stalls. I also want the stalls to have more chicken heart mustard."

Chen Jiazhi thought for a moment and then said, "The Zengcheng base will also be put into production soon. With three bases supplying one batch, I'm afraid you won't be able to handle it."

Li Cai gestured with his lips, as if to say he could handle it, but then he thought of the 3000 mu of land in Zengcheng and fell silent.

To expand into more domestic markets, distribution centers in various cities are key.

As September progressed, the supply of vegetables in the market increased, and business at stall number 63 remained stable.

Chen Jiazhi stayed at the stall for a while, and then several customers came to pick up their vegetables.

The tricycles carrying vegetables never stopped.

Chen Jiazhi then went to stall number 62 next door. The owner, Zhang Qiren, was chatting with a customer in front of the shelves where winter melons were stacked, while two workers were loading large, long winter melons onto a truck.

He didn't disturb him, but Zhang Qiren saw him and came over with a cigarette to greet him.

"Boss Chen is here today, have a smoke."

"I just came to take a look. Business is good, Mr. Zhang. You go ahead and get busy."

Chen Jiazhi accepted the cigarette and tactfully continued walking forward.

Behind him, a customer buying winter melon joked, "Boss Zhang has a good relationship with Kaopu Fresh, he's so familiar with their boss."

Zhang Qiren asked, "You also know about Kaopu Fresh?"

The customer said, "We know each other very well. I've been buying cucumbers and eggplants from next door for the past two months, but this is the first time I've met the owner. I didn't expect him to be so young."

Zhang Qiren said, "Don't let his youth fool you, he's incredibly capable. This stall, number 63, opened a few days later than mine, but now there are very few stalls in the entire market that are more successful than it."

The customer said, "Mr. Zhang is no slouch either. Now I come to you for black-skinned winter melons."

"Haha, you can come to me anytime you want to buy winter melons!" Zhang Qiren laughed heartily. His black-skinned winter melons were now quite famous; having a good neighbor was truly a blessing.
Under the dim yellow light, pedestrians hurried along the cement passage, with tricycles occasionally passing by.

Every stall tries its best to showcase the best side of the vegetables, and the vegetables in September are also quite appealing.

Walking from one passage to the next, by the time you reach the last parking lot in the market, the stall number has reached 133.

There's not much room for the Jiangnan Market to expand further; the biggest potential lies in the Yuexiu Market area.

According to Chen Jiazhi's recollection, even with the addition of Yuexiu Market, the future Jiangnan Market would still be many times larger than the merged area.

There may be further demolitions in the surrounding area in the future.

From this perspective, the office building of Kaopu Fresh is still very valuable.

Even if we move to a new office, we will keep this two-story building that we bought for 72 yuan.

While he was thinking, he heard Chen Zhengxu calling him. Chen Zhengxu was also browsing the market, so the two walked together.

Visiting new clients, following up with old clients, and going to the market after dark to check on today's prices and vegetable quality.
This is Chen Zhengxu's daily work.

His work records are mostly filled with similar content, which is essentially a repetitive process.

Chen Zhengxu, however, found it enjoyable.

Chen Jiazhi was very confident in his work, and during the conversation, he also learned about Chen Zhengxu's thoughts.

He wants to take Kaopu Fresh to the next level.

Chen Zhengxu said, "These past two months have mainly been spent maintaining existing clients. We lack strong products, and new client development has been very slow, resulting in stagnant growth."

Chen Jiazhi stepped aside to let a tricycle that had honked its horn pass by, and said, "Pengcun chicken heart mustard will be on the market soon."

Chen Zhengxu lit a cigarette and offered one to Chen Jiazhi as well. "I asked around, and this batch of chicken heart mustard isn't amazing enough. Also, many villagers are following suit and planting it, which could lead to some chaos."

The two knew perfectly well how profitable mustard greens were in the first half of the year.

The purchase price offered to a small number of local villagers was not low, and the income per mu far exceeded expectations, so it was inevitable that they would follow suit and plant the same crop.

Maoming is a major city for winter vegetable cultivation, and there is never a shortage of vegetable vendors from all over the country.

Naturally, some people will follow suit and sell chicken heart mustard.

Chen Jiazhi understood his concerns. "I'll go to the Pengcun base in a few days. I'll call you if there's anything."

Chen Zhengxu nodded. "I don't think there's much hope. I've done my research, and the next opportunity to expand our business will be after New Year's Day, when the second batch of mustard greens and Zengcheng late-season cabbage will be on the market. I'm making preparations for that now."

"It's also possible that it won't take that long."

Chen Jiazhi also talked to him about exports, hoping to get more high-quality vegetables that are in competition with each other into overseas markets.

Kaopu Fresh can then compete for the vacated domestic market.

Chen Zhengxu was stunned for a moment, and the sounds of bargaining in the market became even clearer.

"Good strategy."

"This matter requires your and Li Cai's cooperation."

"I will."

Chen Zhengxu shook hands, feeling quite excited to have found room for development.

As we got closer to the office building, the sign for Kaopu Fresh was bright in the night, and the sorting workshop was also gleaming. Chen Jiazhi said, "The office is too crowded; I'm planning to move to another place."

Chen Zhengxu thought for a moment and said, "I've looked around, and there aren't any suitable buildings nearby."

Chen Jiazhi was surprised, not expecting that Chen Zhengxu had already learned about it.

How about building it ourselves?

“Okay, the company has enough money.” Chen Zhengxu stopped at the entrance of Kaopu Fresh. “But I think we can clear out the dormitory on the second floor; this place can still be used.”

"As for building our own office, we can build a more impressive one when the company has more money."

After a pause, Chen Zhengxu added, "Just like the Jianlibao headquarters building."

The recent news that Jianlibao plans to relocate its headquarters from Sanshui, Foshan to Huacheng, with a planned investment of 10 billion yuan to build its headquarters in Huacheng has caused quite a stir.

Chen Jiazhi never expected Chen Zhengxu to have such thoughts; his ambition was even greater than his own.

He had thought that the company had earned three or four million yuan in the past two months, which would be more than enough to buy a new office.

This time, he's a bit stumped.

"Then we need to make more money."

After a moment of silence, Chen Jiazhi said this before entering the room, and then Chen Zhengxu's voice came from behind him.

"To grow bigger and stronger."

...

The midday sun was scorching the streets and alleys. Liu Yunfan walked out of the restaurant and headed towards the company.

I was a little nervous before entering, after all, I had just recommended my customers to other markets.

As soon as I entered, I ran into Li Cai.

"Yunfan, come to my office."

Liu Yunfan felt a little guilty, sweat pouring down his face. He quickly wiped his sweat before entering the office.

"Mr. Cai, what can I do for you?"

Li Cai said, "It's nothing serious. Recently, our Southeast Asian customers have been pestering you to buy vegetables. The boss's idea is that we can recommend the excess export orders to Southeast Asia to other vegetable markets."

"what?"

"What do you mean, 'don't you know any colleagues'?"

"Does it... or not..."

Liu Yunfan was momentarily flustered, so Li took out a piece of paper with several phone numbers and text written on it.

"Alright, here are the addresses and phone numbers of a few of our brother markets. Take them."

Liu Yunfan stared blankly at the contact information on the paper: Dongsheng Farm and Congyu Vegetable Market. When did they become brother markets?
Aren't they competitors?
He also just introduced a client to Dongsheng Farm.

But what used to be done secretly can now be done openly; this development is truly surreal.

Liu Yunfan wasn't stupid. The fact that things had come to this point proved that the boss trusted his judgment and wasn't optimistic about exports to Southeast Asia.

Otherwise, they wouldn't be pushing Southeast Asian customers out of the country.

He didn't care anymore; having the instructions from above was like having an imperial sword.

Thinking about his several clients, Liu Yunfan immediately started making phone calls.

A great deal of results was achieved in just one afternoon.

He then felt that his boss's decision was wrong, and that export business was really easy to do nowadays.

Qu Jingtai happened to be at Dongsheng Farm today. It's past mid-September, and the vegetable market is doing well, with a significant increase in vegetable production.

Au Tai Kee has been in business for many years, with customers all over Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Japan, Southeast Asia and other places, and its vegetables are basically always in demand.

However, it was strange that the people at the Jiangxin vegetable market next door kindly recommended customers to him.

But with high profits from exports to Southeast Asia recently, he has no reason not to accept them. At worst, he can adjust his sales structure and reduce the supply to Hong Kong, Macau, or Japan.

As for the mainland market, Au King-tai has no interest at the moment.

Similarly, affected by this, the jade market is also gradually increasing its exports to Southeast Asia.

...

The mountain road leading to Lianzhou stretched endlessly, and as the steering wheel swung left and right, the car constantly passed by bamboo forests on both sides.

Chen Jiazhi and Xue Juncai drove from morning until evening before finally arriving at Xi'an Town.

It's also a beautiful place with clear waters and lush mountains.

He had planned to visit the vegetable farm before it got dark, but as soon as he got out of the car, the hospitable Huang Chuan family took him home.

He was treated to a delicious meal and drinks, and it wasn't until the next day that he arrived at the vegetable base on the mountain.

A light mist hangs in the mountains; the previous crop of eggplants has been harvested, and new vegetables have been planted.

Some planted tomatoes and eggplants, some rotated crops with potatoes and snow peas, and others planted various leafy vegetables.

Many of them chose grafted seedlings.

Huang Chuan's father, Huang Jianjun, was one of them. After eggplants, he planted green peppers this time.

It is said that the last crop of eggplants, covering more than two acres, sold for more than 8000 yuan, which is a remarkable income for people in the mountainous area.

There are quite a few farmers like this in the cooperative base, and naturally, there are also many farmers who are willing to accept grafted seedlings.

Currently, the seedling business is fragmented, with each entity operating independently and multiple businesses expanding simultaneously.

With the Lianzhou cooperative base on track, the development of Lianzhou late-season cabbage will have a foundation for the next two years.

(End of this chapter)