1994: Vegetable farmers strike back

Chapter 445 If you can kill, don't cripple.
It was already dark when Yi Dinggan was still trying on gloves repeatedly in the office of Heli Farm.

After finishing the call, Chen Jiazhi turned to the side and said, "Li Cai asked you to refill his nest."

"Huh? What nest are you talking about?"

"Fishing."

Yi Dinggan said in surprise, "He's coming to fish? I haven't seen him for a while, I almost forgot where his fishing spot is."

Chen Jiazhi chuckled and said, "I guess he didn't originally intend to come fishing, but I scared him so much that he quickly changed his mind and said he called you to ask for help to replenish the fishing spot, so he had no choice but to come."

Yi Dinggan then realized that Li Cai probably wanted to send him some late-season cabbage, but he didn't expect Chen Jiazhi to answer the phone.

"Tsk, thank goodness you're back, otherwise I really wouldn't have been able to refuse these two."

"Keep making things up. When it comes to shifting blame onto me, neither of them can match you."

Yi Dinggan didn't respond to that, and instead brought up the planting plan for the second half of the year.

"If we follow your idea of ​​planting late-season bok choy at the end of the year, there's another problem: how do we guarantee the quality?"

"According to the original plan, most of Heli Agriculture's 3,000 mu of land was to be planted with vegetables all year round. When the late-season Chinese cabbage was planted on such land at the end of the year, the quality would inevitably be damaged."

Heli Agriculture has developed a technical regulation for the production of late-season Chinese cabbage. One of the regulations is to rotate rice with other crops in the summer to allow the soil time to rest and recover, which also reduces pests and diseases and thus reduces the amount of pesticides used.

However, ordinary vegetable markets do not have this rotation policy.

"We can't relax our quality control." Chen Jiazhi took two more cigarettes out of the pack and pondered, "Tongxingtai will raise the price of late-season cabbage tonight. The brand image has already been established, and we can't destroy it ourselves."

Yi Dinggan lit a cigarette and said, "You mean you want to rotate rice crops everywhere?"

Chen Jiazhi nodded slowly, "As long as we can maintain the high profit margin of late-season cabbage, what's wrong with planting a crop of rice? Besides, there should be a good market for silk rice as well."

Undeniably, there will be those who follow the trend, and once the supply increases, the price of late-season cabbage will definitely drop.

Any agricultural product that becomes popular in China cannot escape this fate.

However, there are certainly some who have always stood at the top of the industry and maintained considerable profits by relying on their reputation.

Moreover, the reputation and image of late-season cabbage have already been established by Kaopu Fresh, so it is now even more important to maintain this brand.

Yi Dinggan nodded to indicate that he understood, and then asked, "How will the supply of goods in the summer be guaranteed?"

"What are you two talking about?" Chen Jiafang's voice came from outside the door. "It's almost dark, why aren't you home? Hurry up and go back for dinner!"

"You're here, Second Sister."

Chen Jiazhi then said to Yi Dinggan, "Let's go back and eat first. I'm hungry. I brought some seafood back from the city today."

Yi Dinggan had no choice but to follow them out. Chen Jiafang and Li Xiu were waiting outside the office, covered in mud. Even though they were wearing 'iron nails', their fingers were stained green by the vegetables. But they both seemed to be in good spirits.

Chen Jiazhi joked, "Teacher Xiu, did you go to teach the workers again today?"

Li Xiu was stunned for a moment, then scolded, "What nonsense are you shouting? I only collected vegetables for a little over two hours."

Chen Jiazhi said, "At that rate you're collecting vegetables, aren't you practically chasing after the workers?"

Li Xiu then realized that Jia Zhi had said at the sorting center that she worked too fast and that it would affect the workers' mood.

Now they're teasing her about the workers harvesting vegetables, and she immediately blushed deeply.

Chen Jiafang couldn't stand it anymore and said, "Jiazhi, you should be secretly happy. With so many vegetables to harvest every day, isn't it good to harvest them faster?"

"Exactly, only you, Boss Chen, have forgotten that you came from a humble background as a vegetable farmer. You probably haven't even forgotten how to harvest vegetables."

Seeing Chen Jiazhi's discomfiture, Yi Dinggan quickly chimed in, thinking that if he didn't speak up soon, he wouldn't have a chance to vent his anger later.

"Receiving vegetables is a huge undertaking every day, plus packing them into boxes, and cutting the late-season bok choy. We also have to ensure the quality of the work. If the workers aren't quick, how can we finish the day's work?"

Faced with the onslaught, Chen Jiazhi took the initiative to back down, cupped his hands and smiled, saying, "You've worked hard, you've worked hard. You are all the first-class heroes who made today's harvest possible. Without your support, Heli Farm would have had a hard time getting started."

Yi Ding chuckled dryly and said, "Your flattery is a bit too much, it seems a bit fake. Besides, I don't have any other skills besides growing vegetables."

Chen Jiazhi: "I think what you said is a bit untrue. You may be busy and tired these past two days, but I heard that the corners of your mouth are practically prying open to the sky."

"Alright, alright, hurry back and eat, it's already past eight o'clock."

With flashlights in hand, the four men walked home in the dark, while Guo Mancang, the farm manager, and his men stayed behind in the cold storage to load and ship the goods.

The division of labor in each stage is now clearer than ever before.

As Chen Jiazhi passed by, he offered cigarettes to everyone who was busy working, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then headed back.

Yi Dinggan said, "Now it takes until after 10 o'clock every day to finish loading and shipping. The three factory managers, Lao Guo, Wu Yong, and Wei Liangcai, are also working very hard."

Chen Jiazhi nodded and said, "Well done, I certainly won't let them down."

After walking along the alley for a while, we arrived home. The house was brightly lit, and my parents were sitting at the door with the child, looking out at the house.

"You're all back? Then hurry up and wash your hands. Dinner is ready, let's eat right away."

"Little Dragon and Little Tiger, come and eat."

"Who's watching Ha Dou Dou~"

"I come!"

Chen Jiazhi immediately started teasing his son. The courtyard became lively as his parents brought the food that had been simmering in the pot to the table.

Yi Dinggan said, "Mom, I already told you to eat first, don't wait for us."

Peng Guozhen smiled and said, "It's alright, it's more lively with more people, and we've all eaten something to fill our stomachs."

Yi Long and Yi Hu also came to the living room. Yi Dinggan asked everyone he met if they had finished their homework, which was very imposing and made Chen Jiazhi sigh that it was not like him at all.

After learning that the two had already done their homework and were reading, Yi Dinggan sat down at the table and said:
“Now that they are both able to study, and I can afford to support their studies, I naturally have to be stricter with them.”

Chen Jiazhi thought this was good too. His two nephews had changed a lot. They were not only taller and stronger, but their learning conditions were also much better than in their previous life.

Dinner was plentiful, including seafood and cured meats made by my mother, such as cured pork, sausage, and rabbit. It was quite a sumptuous meal.

Chen Jiazhi also ate to his heart's content.

After eating for a while, Yi Long asked with a smile, "Old man, did you harvest a lot of vegetables today?"

"Still the same amount, around 40 tons."

"How much money can you get for it?"

"Your uncle is right at the table. He's the boss; you'll definitely know more than I do."

As they chatted, the whole family looked at Chen Jiazhi, a scene he was very familiar with.

Discussing how many vegetables were harvested, how much money was made, and the price of vegetables at the dinner table is an eternal topic among vegetable farmers.

He just didn't expect that even after the business had grown to such a large scale, this habit still wouldn't change.

But there seems to be no need to change it.

Some things are meant to be shared with the next generation, whether it's the pitfalls, the losses, the successes, how to interact with people, how to grow vegetables, how to run a vegetable business, or how to manage workers... These kinds of things can help young people avoid making the same mistakes.

In the words of the novel, this is the foundation of a sect.

Moreover, the company's performance was quite good, and Chen Jiazhi could feel the excitement of his family members every afternoon and evening after he entered the house.

This is no different from the excitement of vegetable farmers when the market is booming; they are happy because they are making money.

After eating a piece of salty, spicy cured rabbit meat, Chen Jiazhi laughed and said, "As for how much money it made, it was quite a lot."

Chen Jiafang coughed lightly and said, "Jiazhi, maybe we shouldn't tell them this. Kids don't know how to keep their mouths shut; it'll be bad if they say it out loud."

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiazhi looked up at Yi Dinggan, who glared back without hesitation.

"I'm keeping my mouth shut right now. A few days ago, people from the town and the county came, and I tried to downplay the situation."

Yi Long and Yi Hu also spoke up.

"Uncle, we're keeping it a secret too."

"I promise I won't tell anyone." "What's wrong? Why are you suddenly so serious?" Chen Jiazhi smiled. "It's no big deal. I definitely trust you."

Meeting the expectant gazes of the group, Chen Jiazhi said calmly, "Currently, all the company's divisions combined generate over 60 yuan in sales per day."

"Wow~"

"Sigh~"

"Calm down, don't exaggerate so much. Look, even DouDou is clapping along with you guys."

The whole family was shocked because the increase was so dramatic.

Moreover, everyone knows that apart from late-season cabbage, the overall market has been rather average recently, so this income is truly remarkable.

Yi Long did the math and said, "Uncle, if this were to continue every day, the annual sales would exceed 200 million yuan! You're amazing at business!"

"It's not that easy."

Chen Jiazhi shook his head. "This isn't just my achievement. Look at your father, how tired he is after a day. Your aunt and I are also very tired. Making money in business isn't easy."

Yi Hu chimed in, "If you earn less money, you won't be so tired."

"It might be more tiring, or you might just want to earn less money and have an easier time, but it's very possible that the business will just go out of business and you'll end up not earning a single penny."

Chen Jiazhi recalled the clash between Tong Hing Tai and Au Tai Kee and Cong Yu in Hong Kong, took a sip of wine, and then recounted the story in detail.

He began his recollection by starting with his first visit to Conghua to observe the Jade Vegetable Market.

The discussion touched upon Liu Yunfan's poaching and the loss of his export business. The two companies naturally compete in Hong Kong, and Tong Hing Tai was being targeted, feigning a counterattack against Hop Hing and Wing Lung...

He meticulously analyzed the entire layout centered around late-season bok choy, mustard greens, and lettuce.

Many of the details were new to both Li Xiu and Yi Dinggan.

"Uncle, you're really amazing, and you're really ruthless."

"So this is what business warfare is all about—using any means necessary."

Chen Jiazhi felt somewhat ashamed; he knew nothing about business warfare and was completely feeling his way across the river by trial and error.

"I'm actually not good at fighting with people."

"Pull him down!"

Yi Ding took a sip of wine to calm himself down. "I'm feeling really uneasy right now. Luckily, I'm on your side."

Chen Jiazhi sensed that his parents were looking at him strangely, but Li Xiu remained calm, which reassured him, and he smiled at her.

That night,

Li Xiu tossed and turned in bed.

"Jiazhi, how about we just get you another bodyguard?"

"what?"

“That’s how it’s always portrayed in Hong Kong movies. Big bosses always have several bodyguards. You must be a big boss now.”

"Tsk, even big bosses keep mistresses~"

"Ouch...be gentle...it hurts...uh~"

...

Yi Dinggan also lay down on the bed, drank some wine, and was exhausted. He murmured, "Jiazhi is really becoming more and more like a businessman."

“You’re amazing too.” Chen Jiafang also lay down. “Jiazhi said that without you growing the vegetables, he wouldn’t have been able to make any money selling them.”

"He's better at growing vegetables than I am."

"No one can do that much work by themselves. Where did your former confidence and shamelessness go?"

"That's true, why should I be polite with him?"

"That's the right way to think about it..."

Hearing the snoring that suddenly came from beside him, Chen Jiafang's eyes widened, realizing that he was just saying it.

The next day, Chen Jiazhi could feel that his family members were even more motivated early in the morning.

He was woken up by the sound of Yi Long and Yi Hu reading English aloud. After getting up, he found that several adults had gone out, and even Dou Dou had been taken to the fields.

There was breakfast left in the pot in the kitchen. After eating, Chen Jiazhi hurried to his office.

Yesterday, Yi Dinggan raised a very good question: to ensure the best quality of late-season Chinese cabbage, crop rotation is essential.

Just like how the late-season cabbage was so amazing when it first appeared, the key was the thorough preparation in the early stage. He even timed it so that the quality would be at its best in late December before it was put on the market. If he had missed that step, the result might not have been the same.

Whether or not crop rotation is used can also affect quality. If this is not taken seriously, the quality can easily deviate significantly in the future.

Building a good reputation is difficult, but destroying it is easy.

This point cannot be overlooked.

But crop rotation rice presents another problem: how to ensure the supply of rice in the summer?

It's worth noting that Heli Vegetable Market has now become the main source of goods for the company.

If there is a shortage of goods for several months during the summer, much of the promotional work done by Reliable Fresh in the early stages will be in vain.

The simplest solution is to expand the base or build a base elsewhere.

However, Chen Jiazhi predicts that the economy will be affected by exports in the next two years, so building a new base now does not seem like a wise move.

If exports fail, farmers will definitely shift their focus from jade and other vegetable markets to the domestic market, which will instantly intensify domestic competition.

However, thinking of the efforts made to develop the domestic market, and the nights Zhengxu and others stayed up, traveling around just to visit clients... Chen Jiazhi lightly slapped the table, and immediately made a decision in his heart.

"Do it!"

"A dead Taoist friend will never die a poor Taoist!"

"Since we've already made enemies with Congyu and Qu Taiji, let's go all out and destroy them!"

Dongsheng and Congyu were both large vegetable markets that Chen Jiazhi knew about in his previous life and were very famous in the industry.

At that moment, he observed a moment of silence for 0.5 seconds for the future of the two vegetable markets.

If you can kill someone, don't cripple them!

Chen Jiazhi calculated the recent income and found that Kaopu Fresh's cash flow would be exceptionally abundant for some time to come.

Congyu, on the other hand, has spent a lot of money on micro-sprinkler irrigation.

Both Au Tai Kee and Au Tai Kee have plans to build new bases, but now they are losing customers in Hong Kong, and their cash flow relies entirely on exports.
If exports are cut off, turning to the mainland will basically mean starting from scratch, which is very difficult.

But Chen Jiazhi wanted to make some more preparations.

Green Vine Company has been active in several vegetable markets recently, and the micro-sprinkler irrigation design is progressing very quickly.

Once micro-sprinkler irrigation is fully installed, irrigation costs can be reduced further.

The seeds are self-propagating, and are of good quality and inexpensive.

Other material costs can be reduced through Friendship Agricultural Supplies, so even if a price war is unavoidable, we are not afraid at all.

As Chen Jiazhi was lost in thought, the phone rang again.

"Hello~"

"Mr. Chen, the price of late-season cabbage has increased by 10%."

Xia Youche's good news interrupted Chen Jiazhi's train of thought, but it also gave him more confidence.

(End of this chapter)