China Lichuan Network special correspondent Tang Xu All-media reporter Mou Lianwen Xiong Wei
Lichuan is the origin of lettuce, in the last century, after the introduction of stone pillars, the lettuce industry has developed rapidly, and the area and output once exceeded that of Lichuan, especially in terms of deep processing, there are many remarkable points. On the eve of the National Day, under the organization and planning of the Lichuan Rong Media Center, the reporter and his party went to Shizhu to inspect the lettuce industry. Everywhere I went, I felt very deeply.
First stop: Cold Water Lettuce Park
From Lichuan to Shizhu Cold Water, it takes only half an hour to drive, and it is quite convenient to get out of the province.
The first stop of the trip is lettuce Park, which is located in Balong Village, Lengshui Town, which has an area of 2800 mu, an annual output of 800 tons, and an annual output value of 6 million yuan, which is the "star village" of Lengshui Town. Village cadres revealed that in the past, the local lettuce has been relying on the "West Lake brand" to produce raw materials, sold to Japan, Southeast Asia and other places, in recent years, through the introduction of Chongqing Wanjiang Food Co., Ltd. for lettuce scientific research, processing, sales, registered the "Hailian" brand lettuce independent brand small package, exported to Japan, sold in supermarkets, the highest grade of S-grade lettuce export unit price of about 170 yuan per kilogram, and has successfully developed lettuce jelly soap, lettuce tea bags, lettuce instant food, lettuce health enzymes and other series of products. At present, through investment attraction, Balong Village is building a lettuce deep processing plant, and the project is under construction and is scheduled to be officially put into operation next year.
Walking in Balong Village, the deepest feeling is that the local excavation of lettuce culture has a certain depth, the village committee square is surrounded by lettuce propaganda columns, in addition, the theme of party building in Balong Village is based on lettuce culture: create a new team of "Lettuce Xian", exhibit "Lettuce Beauty" new countryside, create a new farmhouse of "Lettuce", build a new farmer of "Lettuce", and a new fashion of "Lettuce".
The theme of party building in Balong Village
Balong Village is adjacent to Huangshui, hundreds of thousands of summer tourists pass by every year, the village with unique geographical advantages and climate advantages, to create a lettuce park, characteristic villages, homestay courtyards, attracting tourists from all over the country to experience the picking of lettuce, taste the delicious taste of lettuce, the formation of "grassroots party organizations + village collective economy + e-commerce + farmers + lettuce" a new industrial model, boost rural revitalization.
Cold water lettuce base
The second stop: Huangshui "Pan Mother-in-law"
Our previous trip plan did not have Huangshui, and we went to Huangshui because the cadres of Balong Village revealed that the area of lettuce in Huangshui was larger than that of cold water.
Huangshui is an emerging tourist township, clean and tidy streets, high-end atmospheric community, all exude the atmosphere of modern civilization. When we explained our intentions, the local staff recommended the "Pan Po Po" lettuce processing plant in Huangshui.
Along the spacious road, in the lettuce field around the bends, finally found the "Pan Mother" factory. Under the guidance of the staff, we came to the lettuce deep processing product exhibition hall. It is understood that "Pan Po Po" to "protect lettuce resources, build lettuce brand, spread lettuce culture, enhance the value of lettuce, drive farmers to increase income, continue industrial poverty alleviation" as the mission, has developed a total of 28 products such as beverage food, beauty skin care, health care, etc., has been listed fresh lettuce, lettuce acetate, lettuce refreshing drink, lettuce hydration facial mask, lettuce series skin care products, lettuce and lettuce oral liquid and other 13 products.
"Pan Po Po" series of lettuce products
During the conversation, the staff handed us a bottle of lettuce drink, drank it, the taste was lubricated, refreshing and thirst-quenching.
"Our annual output value is 30 million yuan, which can drive farmers in several surrounding villages to get rich, and lettuce has become a pillar industry in the local area." According to the staff, the company gave full play to the role of leading enterprises, using a variety of models such as "order acquisition", "land circulation", "priority employment", "asset operation" and so on to drive farmers to get rich and increase income.
The third stop: stone pillar "water, fire and earth"
Leaving "Grandma Pan", we rushed to the "Water, Fire and Earth Food Company" in Shizhu Industrial Park, and the navigation showed that the distance was more than 70 kilometers. At first, we didn't know that this company specialized in lettuce was also learned by accident during an interview.
Coming to the "Water, Fire and Earth Food Company", Ma Yingping, director of the production plant, introduced to reporters, "Shizhu lettuce was introduced from Lichuan FobaoShan in 1997. He was familiar with Lichuan and had come to buy lettuce many times. Previously, he had worked in the "Pan Po Po" lettuce processing plant, and had been in the lettuce industry for more than ten years, and he had a lot of experience, which can be described as a senior lettuce person.
When it comes to the area of lettuce in Shizhu, Ma Yingping said bluntly that the official data is 14,000 mu, but in recent years, due to the lack of labor, many lettuce fields have been abandoned, and the effective planting area is about 8,000 mu.
Ma Yingping introduced, "water, fire and soil food company" is a business investment enterprise, with a total investment of more than 20 million yuan, the plant covers an area of 24 acres, the boss is a Shandong Zibo people, Zibo is also a Shizhu East-West poverty alleviation cooperation unit. "The business environment on the Shizhu side is not bad, the government subsidized 4.5 million yuan at the time of building the factory, and there was a subsidy of 2 million yuan per year in the later period."
Workshop of "Water, Fire and Earth Food Company"
Coming to the cold storage, Ma Yingping gave each of us a bottle of cold and delicious lettuce drink - lettuce small silk, opened to taste, like a qiong pulp, its taste is round and silky, evocative, especially in summer has the effect of quenching thirst and relieving heat. Its preservation skills are also surprising, as if these lettuce have just been picked from the field, and the taste is very fresh and beautiful. It is understood that the company is currently focusing on the production of lettuce small wire products, mainly for the Guangdong market, as a gift of high-end gifts. Therefore, the taste of the small silk is also developed according to the preferences of Cantonese people, and sweetness is added to it.
"Lettuce" drink
As a farewell to the stone pillar, we can't help but sigh: Lichuan "Lettuce Girl" has been married to the stone pillar for more than 20 years, and she has developed very well here, and we are at ease.
Fourth stop: Fo Bao Shan
Fobao Mountain, the birthplace of lettuce in Hubei and Chongqing, is a must-visit place for our trip.
Xu Yusong, the secretary of the Fobaoshan Development Zone, who has just taken office, is full of passion, and his eyes are full of beautiful blueprints for Fobaoshan. When it comes to lettuce, he gushed endlessly: "Fobaoshan will declare the construction of a Chinese lettuce botanical garden, build a walking trail, let tourists go down to the field to experience the fun of picking, promote the integration of agriculture and tourism, and achieve farmers' income increase..."
Then, we drove to Yueqinba, which is the main lettuce base of Fobao Mountain. When A stranger comes to visit, the local villagers are all gathered around to join in the fun, you say a word, I say a word. "FobaoShan's lettuce is of good quality, the foot of the mountain sells for four yuan a pound, we sell eight yuan a pound!" "Fo Bao Shan's lettuce, collagen is more than anywhere else!" When it comes to lettuce, the local villagers are proud.
Fobaoshan lettuce base
What makes the villagers anxious is that although the fame of Fobaoshan lettuce is large, it has not brought much income to the people, and it is still in the initial stage of selling raw materials. The villagers hope that under the impetus of the government, with good climate and water source advantages, relying on the lettuce tourism industry, the development of homestays and farmhouses will attract tourists from all over the country.
However, Fobao Mountain belongs to the Xingdoushan National Nature Reserve, and various ecological red lines restrict economic development to a certain extent.
On that day, the autumn sun was shining brightly and there was no cloud. After the reporter lifted the unmanned aerial camera into the sky, he looked down and saw a large field of lettuce embedded in the forest, like a beautiful mirror.
Aerial photo of Fobaoshan lettuce base
Lettuce complex for two people
When it comes to Lichuan lettuce, it is impossible to bypass two people, one is Qu Yizhou and the other is Zou Guihuai.
The reporter called Qu Yizhou, who claimed that he was no longer engaged in the lettuce industry. Once brilliant "mountain wild food", annual sales reached more than 58 million yuan, once became the "leading boss" of Lichuan lettuce, its research and development of "mountain wild lettuce" beverage favored by the market, what is the reason for the enterprise "closed door lock"? In this regard, Qu Yizhou said that there was another hidden plot.
Although Qu Yizhou's lettuce processing plant has closed down, he has been quietly following the lettuce industry and has written a related book. He revealed that the price of lettuce fluctuated greatly, for example, last year, affected by the epidemic, sales were weak, and there was no merchant acquisition of 2 yuan a catty, resulting in many villagers not having the heart to plant. After the market was liberalized this year, due to the small output, the purchase price per kilogram rose to more than 4 yuan. In general, the lettuce market is highly undulating and difficult to control. In addition, lettuce is also affected by diseases such as root rot, and the quality is also unstable.
How to develop the lettuce industry? Qu Yizhou believes that the government should encourage and support villagers to plant lettuce and give a subsidy of 500 yuan per mu. However, lettuce is not suitable for large-scale development, it has high requirements for the environment, and only places with good ecology, good water sources and high altitudes can cultivate high-quality lettuce.
Encounter Zou Guihuai, is just held at the selenium expo, he is introducing the lettuce series of products to guests, which makes the reporter very shocked, thinking that the road of research and development of Lichuan lettuce has been interrupted, did not expect Zou Guihuai is still silently sticking. Lao Zou revealed that he has developed more than 60 lettuce products, which are mainly divided into three categories: selenium-rich biscuits, tableted candy, and sauce.
Cool mist horse front lettuce base
Looking back on the research and development of lettuce, Zou Guihuai still remembers it vividly: in July 2014, Duorenduo Industry, which he founded, has successively obtained two invention patents for lettuce lozenges and their preparation methods, and lettuce beverages and their preparation methods. Subsequently, Duorenduo Industry increased the intensity of school-enterprise cooperation, cooperated with Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences, South China University of Technology and South China Industrial Design Institute, etc., set up a professional scientific research team, and established "Hubei Provincial School-Enterprise Co-construction R&D Center" and "Hubei Academician Expert Workstation", fully combining local superior resources to accelerate the transformation of scientific and technological achievements into real productivity. In 2014, the South China Industrial Design Institute carried out scientific research on the actual situation of Lichuan lettuce, and found that the use of high-voltage electromagnetic field and frozen atmosphere preservation method can effectively protect the freshness and original color of lettuce, but also ensure that its nutritional components are not destroyed, changing the traditional glacial acetic acid preservation method and further promoting the lettuce industry to move towards deep processing.
Unfortunately, today, Duorenduo Industry has closed its doors and stopped production for many reasons. The once popular "Thousand Mile Lettuce" drink has disappeared from the market.
Talking about the future development direction of Lichuan lettuce, Zou Guihuai believes that one is to increase the purchase price, so that farmers can calculate the account, and the lettuce base will grow; the second is to improve the scientific and technological content, deep processing, and enhance added value; third, the government should create a good business environment, do not disturb anything, have a call, and truly be a good "shop small two".
epilogue:
Lichuan lettuce, the road is still very long
What is the current status of Lettuce Icheon? The reporter learned that in recent years, Lichuan has successfully explored a new planting model of "lettuce symbiosis", in the lettuce field, moderate stocking of grass carp to eat grass, eels, loach to eat insects, silver carp to eat organic matter to improve water quality, no chemical fertilizer, no pesticides, through the biological chain to regulate the ecological balance.
Deng Yongbao, secretary of the party group and director of the Lichuan Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, revealed: "In 2021, Lichuan will add 5,700 mu of lettuce (planting area), and now the city's remaining lettuce (planting area) totals 21,000 mu, from planting to deep processing can drive more than 10,000 people to employment." ”
A few days ago, in an interview with CCTV, Lichuan City Sleep Fu Ecological Agriculture Development Co., Ltd. legal person Tan Xiaoyu introduced: "Lichuan lettuce is mainly sold to Japan and South Korea, we are graded according to customer needs according to size, quality and form, raw materials are 4 pieces of 5 a pound, after deep work, the best can sell to 25 yuan a pound, compared to the previous traditional model of selling out of the product value can be increased by 60%. ”
However, the Lichuan lettuce industry is still in the initial stage of providing raw materials, with insufficient deep processing, low added value, and weak anti-risk ability. How to enhance the brand value of Leecheon lettuce?
First of all, it is necessary to introduce or cultivate market entities with strong comprehensive strength to drive industrial development through market players; secondly, to further cultivate and strengthen the Lichuan lettuce brand, develop the fist products of lettuce, such as innovating a lettuce beverage or lettuce instant food that the public likes; third, it is necessary to carry out series planning and packaging of Lichuan lettuce like creating Lichuan black tea, and even need to cultivate a group of "lettuce girls" to make Lichuan lettuce go further through online live streaming.
Brand building, the task is heavy and the road is long. The development and growth of the Lichuan lettuce industry still has a long way to go.
Editor/Lu Hua Review/Tan Li Review/Fu Xiaotang