1994: Vegetable farmers strike back

Chapter 430 Coincidence
As they walked through the vegetable fields, Chen Jiazhi and Ao Dehai had a lot of conversation.

Perhaps because he hadn't personally grown vegetables in a long time, he now enjoys listening to the various farm managers ramble on about the situation at their markets.

From minor incidents like losing a few vegetable baskets, heated arguments between vegetable workers, price fluctuations, reactions from Japan, visiting officials, or deciding what vegetables to plant, how much to plant, and what tasks to complete, etc.

There are many different kinds, but he likes to listen to them all.

Of course, they also learned about Ao Dehai's plans.

The prosperous vegetable market is now very wealthy, which is the premise of all planning.

Excluding various costs, the bustling vegetable market made a profit of nearly 700 million yuan in these 5 months.

Ao Dehai has already found a new plot of land and wants to expand the base to 1,000 mu (approximately 67 hectares) and plant another season of broccoli next year.

Since the seasonal tariffs on broccoli exports to Japan are still in effect, they can replicate this year's experience and launch the product in early May next year to make another profit.

Chen Jiazhi had no reason to disagree.

To some extent, vegetables are also a necessity on the dining table. Even if there is an economic crisis, developed countries like Japan still have a demand for vegetables.

Moreover, it's a case of competing in a different market segment.

Shanghai's leafy vegetable exports are not as competitive as those in the Pearl River Delta. It's like a virgin territory, with only a few people like the prosperous vegetable market cultivating it.

This money needs to be invested.

However, he also made his own request, that we should gradually focus on developing the domestic market.

Next year, the land planted with broccoli can also be used to grow various leafy vegetables. At this time, it will be necessary to strengthen the development of the domestic market, taking Shanghai as the center and gradually expanding to markets such as Suzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Nantong, and Wuxi.

This is a long-term plan.

It requires several years or even a decade of hard work.

As Ao Dehai walked on the gravel road, he would unconsciously kick one or two pebbles away. The pebbles would roll along the road, and when he got closer, he would kick the same pebble again.

He thought he had thought long enough, but he didn't expect his boss to have thought even further ahead and had a broader perspective.

He didn't even know the locations of the cities his boss mentioned.

But so what?

Just like how he had never dealt with exports before, he is now extremely proficient at it.

Ao Dehai readily accepted all of his boss's suggestions. In his mind, his boss's decisions were almost never wrong. He only needed to do things according to his boss's ideas, and the goal would be achieved. Then he could enjoy the fruits of victory.

This has happened many times.

Click~
Before anyone knew it, Li Xiu appeared not far ahead, and only then did he press the shutter button on his camera.

Li Xiu shouted, "I'll take some pictures of you two."

Chen Jiazhi waved his hand and replied, "I'm handsome, take as many pictures as you want. Want to strike a few poses?"

Li Xiu shouted again, "Be serious."

Hu Chunmei, who was directing the work in the vegetable garden next door, chimed in, "Although Boss Chen is a bit tanned now, he is indeed handsome."

Chen Jiazhi said smugly, "Sister Hu's words are apt, I like to hear them."

Click, click, several more photos were taken. Li Xiu casually snapped a few pictures, then went to the vegetable garden to take photos of the workers.

Distracted by her, Chen Jiazhi momentarily forgot where they were talking and could only gaze at the scenery in the vegetable field.

Just then, I saw Fang Shaohua walking this way, and he quickly got closer.

"Boss, Manager Ao."

"Are you just out for a walk, or is something else on your mind?"

"I need to talk to the boss about something."

Ao Dehai then found an excuse to go and watch the workers at work.

Fang Shaohua then brought up the phone call Liu Yunfan had made to him the day before. He didn't hide anything or embellish anything; he simply recounted the whole story.

Chen Jiazhi asked, "What do you think?"

Fang Shaohua pondered for a moment and said, "He shouldn't have poached the company's clients."

“That’s not important,” Chen Jiazhi asked. “He invited you to join Congyu. Do you have any thoughts about it?”

“I think the prosperity of the vegetable market is great. Even if the company’s business direction changes in the future and exports are reduced, I will not go to Yu.”

Fang Shaohua spoke with absolute certainty, without the slightest hesitation.

He had a good experience at the prosperous vegetable market, not only because the export business was easy to do, but also because he enjoyed the feeling of growing vegetables and recognized that it was a promising career.

Chen Jiazhi said in a deep voice, "That's enough. We don't need to worry about Liu Yunfan anymore. Also, the export business of Fanrong Vegetable Market to Japan and South Korea will not stop, but we need to be careful about the risks."

Upon hearing about the payment terms in Southeast Asia, Fang Shaohua said, "Japanese companies had previously offered to sell vegetables on our behalf, but we declined."

Chen Jiazhi thought of the mushroom export issue and nodded, saying, "The refusal was correct. Exporting to foreign countries does not mean we make demands on them. We must not indulge our customers when it comes to payments."

After a pause, Chen Jiazhi asked again, "Is Fukuoka Taihang Co., Ltd. no longer exporting shiitake mushrooms?"

“No, they haven’t imported shiitake mushrooms from China for a long time,” Fang Shaohua said. “I heard that Taihang’s planned base and factory in Ningbo, which would cost hundreds of millions of yuan, is also about to shut down.”

Chen Jiazhi raised an eyebrow. "Who told you that?"

Fang Shaohua said, "When I was chatting with the staff of Taihang, they mentioned it in casual conversation, so it doesn't seem fake."

Chen Jiazhi stopped in his tracks, frowned, and thought for a while. He felt that this matter had a familiar feel to it.

He had several years of contact with mushroom farmers when he was growing vegetables in Chengdu.

At that time, his vegetable garden was next to the mushroom farmers' greenhouses, and he would occasionally get some free mushroom residue and ammonium carbonate from the mushroom farmers to fertilize his fields.

We got to know each other better over time, and occasionally chatted together. Someone seemed to have mentioned a story about a Japanese company that invested in shiitake mushrooms in China, only to go bankrupt and run away. Could it be Taihang Corporation?

Chen Jiazhi found it difficult to judge at the moment because many years had passed and he didn't remember very clearly.

But now that things have come to this, we must take precautions.

"Shaohua, keep an eye on Taihang Corporation and urge them to pay on time. I'm worried they might run away."

"Huh? No way, Taihang is quite powerful and has always been very trustworthy."

"Don't overestimate the Japanese people's bottom line. When it comes to life and death, who cares about so much?"

"Okay, I'll keep an eye on it."

From the boss's tone, Fang Shaohua could also sense the importance the boss placed on him.

Then I thought of Taihang Co., Ltd.'s investment in Ningbo. The Japanese salesperson I was dealing with at the time seemed to be in a very serious tone, so things might really be unusual.

Liu Yunfan's departure and subsequent poaching of clients is truly disgusting and a disgrace to Reliable Fresh.

Among the clients poached was Yu Hong from Singapore, a relatively familiar long-term client.

It doesn't have a big impact, but it's disgusting.

This feud can be considered settled.

...

In Beijing, after another day of meetings, Chen Guanye returned to his hotel after emerging from the lake.

He called Hua Cheng's secretary.

"Kang Ming, it's settled. I will be the leader of the poverty alleviation team, responsible for the poverty alleviation cooperation between Huacheng and Baise. We can arrange the follow-up matters now."

“Okay.” Kang Ming then said, “Congratulations, boss.”

Chen Guanye sighed, "It's a tough job, what's there to congratulate me on? I just hope I can really achieve something in this."

By the way, we need to hurry up and prepare the education donations we raised last time. We've also coordinated with our colleagues in Baise this time.

Conditions in the local mountainous area are very harsh; education, sanitation, healthcare, transportation, industry… every task is arduous.

Kang Ming said, "It is precisely because the task is so difficult that the city has asked you, the leader, to take on this major responsibility. For example, regarding the education donation, the companies below have been urging us to make the donations many times. I don't think anyone has stepped up to us."

Chen Guanye asked in surprise, "Someone is urging us again? Who is it?"

"Reliable Fresh is still the best."

"It's that peculiar person again!"

Kang Ming smiled and said, "He has made some achievements recently and may want to show them off in front of you, the leader."

After a pause, Kang Ming continued, "Heli Farm started producing vegetables around National Day, and the output is very stable."

In addition, they also utilized distribution channels and wholesale markets to assist farmers in the three townships of Paitan, Xiaolou, and Zhengguo in selling their unsold citrus fruits, as well as winter melons and other agricultural products.

Chen Guanye listened attentively, first surprised that the dishes could be prepared in just over two months, an astonishing efficiency.

Then he found it very interesting that the 'wonderful person' always kept poverty alleviation in mind.

But I must say, this suits his taste perfectly, especially since he's someone who gets things done.

At the same time, an agricultural enterprise can also play a crucial role in poverty alleviation cooperation in Baise.

After pondering for a moment, Chen Guanye said, "Secretary Kang, let's take a look and see if there are any projects that can be brought to Zengcheng in the next two years. An enterprise that can drive the development of farmers deserves encouragement."

"Okay, boss."

Chen Guanye was in high spirits. He had been working on poverty alleviation for many years, but this time he was very determined and even arranged marriages between various provinces and cities.

As the forefront of reform and opening up, Guangdong has been the subject of much controversy and even faced considerable danger in recent years.

Now that we have overcome the difficulties and achieved economic development results, we should take on the role of role models and pioneers in poverty alleviation.

Therefore, Huacheng had conducted relevant research very early on, which is why Chen Guanye was preparing for it early on as well.

Many businesses in the city are also responding.

However, most companies, aside from making donations, avoid investing in remote areas like the plague.

Only this reliable fresh graduate kept showing his presence in front of him, practically saying "Pick me, pick me!"

Chen Guanye arrived at the restaurant looking refreshed, humming a little tune.

"Old Chen, did you find some money? You seem to be in a good mood?"

Chen Guanye turned his head and looked at the speaker. It was Jiang Yiren, the vice mayor of Shanghai. The two had met a few times.

"I didn't find any money, but I did come across an interesting vegetable company."

Chen Guanye recalled, "It's a bit of a coincidence that they also invested in bases in Shanghai and Yunnan."

"Ok?"

Jiang Yiren immediately became interested. This was a collaboration between Shanghai and Yunnan, involving 13 districts and counties in Shanghai working together to alleviate poverty in four prefectures in Yunnan.

Chen Guanye asked, "Isn't it quite a coincidence?"

Jiang Yiren nodded and said, "That's interesting. Let's find a place to sit down and talk."

In just a few minutes, Jiang Yiren learned about the history of Kaopu Fresh and the existence of Fanrong Vegetable Market.

"Old Chen, Huacheng is still the best. You can find any private enterprise here that can take on a great responsibility."

(End of this chapter)