" I have confidence in myself and I have more confidence in the agricultural industry I choose. On the way to start a business, innovation is the engine to go ahead of others. "
On March 21, the reporter met Yan Gang at the Shijiaban, Zichang County. He was wearing a pair of big black-rimmed glasses with a hint of bookishness. To traditional villagers, been admitted to college means one has leaped out of the poor countryside, however Yan plunged into the countryside to build a greenhouse even before he graduated from Yangling Vocational and Technical College.
Yan experienced hardships in six years of pioneering work. In September 2008, Yan, who was still in the internship period, started his own business. He spent 2,000 yuan renting two idle greenhouses from his uncle Li Jinhong in Houdian Village, Yujiaping Town, planting zucchini and some other vegetables and earned more than 20,000 yuan a year. For Yan Gang at that time, the money was of special significance. It not only covers the tuitions, but also maintained the livelihood of his family. In his sophomore year, Yan Gang's family suffered a sudden change, resulting in the family's savings running out and a debt of 200,000 yuan. " As a man in the family, I can only choose to start my own business. But it takes seed money to start a business. Just as my uncle has two empty greenhouses, I choose to start a business there. " Yan said.
In July 2009, Yan just graduated from Yangling Vocational and Technical College in Biotechnology and Application. Yan Gang's face was full of pride when he mentioned his major: " I chose this major myself. I liked agriculture from an early age I think China is a big agricultural country so the prospect of this major must be good."
Love means spending time on it. After graduation Yan has devoted all his time to greenhouses planting, although the process is very difficult. " At the beginning, I couldn't adapt to the contrast temperature between the environment inside and outside the greenhouses. I caught a cold for a month and no medicine worked. The bitterest time was the first three years when I had to sell the greenhouse vegetables all by myself. I rode tricycle to markets in vegetables season. In winter I started at 4 to 5 in the morning and it’s too cold that I have arthritis after a while. Now my legs hurt when the weather is bad. " Yan just said.
Despite his hard work, he grew up in his explorations. From 2008 to 2012, he earned 780,000 yuan on greenhouse vegetables. Yan just said, " After making some money, I was thinking building my own greenhouse."
In 2012, he built six new greenhouses in his hometown of Wayaobao Town, Xinzhuangku Village. In August 2013, his vegetable shed was just put into use but he didn't earn any money because of the heavy rainfall. The landslide near his house shed and his two greenhouses were completely buried by the soil. In addition, the water quality in the village is not good so the quality of greenhouse vegetables could not be guaranteed, influencing the income. Yan ended the greenhouse industry in his hometown after losing 400,000 yuan.
In 2013 when Yan experienced the hardest time, he applied for a small loan to start a business in his hometown. The interest-free loan of 80,000 yuan brought him a turnaround. Yan mentioned the experience and said with deep feeling: " I just built a greenhouse at home and the capital turnover was very difficult. This loan helped me a lot."
The expert of greenhouse fruits
August 20, 2012 was a special day for Yan Gang, which opened a new chapter in Yan Gang's career. From this day on, Yan transformed from greenhouse vegetables to greenhouse fruits. He planted strawberries in one of the greenhouses contracted by his uncle. " At first, the output was not very good, but many people came. Growing strawberries at that time was a miracle. Many people took their children to see what the strawberry tree looked like. My strawberries were picked in pink. I was the first person in the county to grow strawberries. " That year, Yan made nearly 30,000 yuan in a strawberry shed.
Seeing the potential business opportunities of anti-season fruits, Yan came to Li Jiacun in 2013 to develop fruit picking industry after giving up his hometown's vegetable greenhouses. Li Jiacun is located in the county road from Zichang to Qingjian, with convenient transportation. There are several idle greenhouses in the village in Yangshan Town, Sichuan and the township government at that time also helped coordinate water and electricity issues. Yan started the business with full confidence.
In 2015, Yan set up zichang county Yusheng agricultural and sideline products co., ltd. to be his own boss and employed 20 workers. At present, Yan has contracted 24 greenhouses in Li Jiacun and Laozhuang Village, mainly planting strawberries, melons and watermelons in greenhouses. After years of groping, he became an expert in fruit planting. His strawberries are very sweet. " if temperature is high then the fruit will be little; if it’s too stable the flavor will be plain. These technical problems must be solved in advance" Yan are clear and logic when talking about strawberry platning.
In recent days, Yan bought some apricot seedlings and flat peach seedlings and intends to produce apricot and flat peach in the greenhouse. " If the trial planting is successful, new industries will be developed. I have confidence in myself and more confidence in the agricultural industries I choose. On the way to start a business, innovation is the engine to go ahead of others. " In addition to introducing new varieties, Yan is considering brand management, saying, " I want to register my strawberry brand and put it on packaging next year."
When it comes to the next step, Yan said that he will cooperate with farmers and give them technical guidance. The products will be sold uniformly and they will earn money together.
(Translator: Qian Kun)
