In mid-to-late April, more than 70,000 grape seedlings from the Yangling Golden Garden Grape Professional Cooperative have all been planted in the ground, and Chen Minru, a "new farmer" who has been busy for half a year, has finally been idle.
Chen Minru, a 33-year-old native of Xinji Village, Rugu Town, has been fascinated by grapes since he was a child under the influence of his father's grape growing. Chen Minru, a 24-year-old migrant worker, chose to return to his hometown to grow grapes, "Since he has returned to his hometown, he must produce results, and he must take the cultivation of grapes as a lifelong undertaking to do it, and drive more farmers to get rich." Chen Minru recalled.
How to grow is the focus of Chen Minru's consideration, so in 2009, he registered and established the Yangling Jinyuan Grape Professional Cooperative, with the introduction, testing, screening, breeding and promotion of new grape varieties as its main business to promote the development of the whole chain of the grape industry. At first, Chen Minru was still planted according to the traditional seedling breeding model, and later after consulting with the experts and professors of Northwest A & F University, he found that the traditional way was out of touch with the market, so he set his sights on the "resistant rootstock" that expanded the planting range of grape seedlings.
"Rootstock has the characteristics of disease resistance and cold resistance, and after grafting, it can meet the planting of different regions. For example, sunshine roses can breed 7 types, customers can choose suitable for local planting, and sunshine roses can be planted in places that are not suitable for planting. Chen Minru said that after grafting resistant rootstock, each mu of grape seedlings can be sold for more than 80,000 yuan, which not only has good economic benefits, but also has a large market demand.
Optimistic about the market prospect of "resistant rootstock", Chen Minru said to do it. However, the fledgling Chen Minru was in a hurry to cut cuttings prematurely in the first year of trial planting, and the survival rate of seedlings was only 20%.
"My father planted grapes all my life, and he advised me to do it according to the festival, but I still insisted on going my own way, and I lost more than 200,000 yuan that time." This failure made Chen Minru wear away his impatience and profoundly realized that in order to engage in agriculture, he must be down-to-earth and sink his heart to do a good job.
Adjusting the mentality, summing up the experience, and constantly innovating, Chen Minru finally made the grape seedling industry smooth after years of exploration. "The market for 'resistant rootstock' grape seedlings is very competitive, with 40,000 seedlings earning nearly 600,000 yuan last year, and more than 70,000 seedlings this year are estimated to sell for 1 million yuan." Chen Minru said confidently.
While becoming rich himself, Chen Minru also led farmers to sell grape seedlings and fresh fruits, becoming an excellent chain main enterprise in the breeding and seedling industry in Yangling District and a vanguard of rural revitalization.
In the future, Chen Minru has his own greater pursuits and dreams. "Now I am a new farmer, and I dream of becoming a farmer scientist, moving in the direction of autonomous breeding, cultivating more grape varieties and contributing to the revitalization of the countryside."
Reporter: Lu Sai Liu Zhongquan
Edit: Zhao Taozi