To cope with cheap vegetables, the agriculture department suggests setting up a minimum price protection fund for vegetables

On August 3, this newspaper reported under the title "Selling for only 5 fen per jin, ten thousand mu of cauliflower in Yuzhong unsalable" the news that ten thousand mu of cauliflower in Xinying Township, Yuzhong County were unsalable at low prices, which aroused attention from all sectors of society. In the past few days, some citizens have called in one after another to inquire about the matter. It is understood that currently, the selling price of cauliflower on the Lanzhou market is still around 1 yuan per jin. On one hand, cheap vegetables hurt farmers; on the other hand, citizens still eat high-priced vegetables. How can this be solved in Yuzhong, a plateau summer vegetable base? On the afternoon of August 5, the agriculture department of Yuzhong County sent this newspaper an analysis of and solutions to this problem.

According to relevant personnel of the Yuzhong County Agriculture Bureau, the current vegetable prices in Yuzhong County are relatively low compared with the same period last year. The main reasons include not only climate factors but also policy factors. In the past two years, major cities across the country have pursued the vegetable basket project to guarantee citizens' vegetable supply, greatly increasing local vegetable bases and putting great pressure on the export sales of Lanzhou plateau summer vegetables. In addition, the market period of plateau summer vegetables in Yuzhong County conflicts with the large-volume market period of vegetables in other provinces and regions in China, which is the main reason for the lower vegetable prices.

Because terminal market prices are relatively low, most vegetable dealers have reduced the number of shipments, and the reduction in shipment volume is also a major factor causing vegetable prices to fall. At the same time, the blind increase in the planting area of a single variety and the inducing factor of consecutive years of high vegetable prices led to a large concentrated market period for cauliflower, which the market could not absorb, and prices fell sharply.

In response, the agriculture department of Yuzhong County has taken relevant measures: the agriculture department has strengthened the release of external information and sought to attract more dealers to operate vegetables in Yuzhong County. It has also mobilized vegetable dealers to increase the amount harvested and, in vegetable warehouses, store as much as possible for a short time and operate at full capacity. At the same time, it will guide farmers to sow in stages and bring products to market in batches to avoid concentrated marketing of products.

Relevant personnel of the Yuzhong County Agriculture Bureau introduced that in the long run, the risk of Lanzhou plateau summer vegetables relying on primary products to occupy the market is growing, and their competitiveness is weakening. It is necessary to begin building the capacity and mechanisms to withstand market risks. Therefore, the agriculture department suggests: first, establish a risk early warning and prevention mechanism, and carry out a certain number of expert analyses and market research activities each year. Second, establish some long-term mechanisms for farmer-supermarket linkage, contract planting and contract sales, for example supporting production and marketing associations, specialized cooperatives and production and marketing companies with a certain production scale and operating capacity, so as to change from scattered and passive response to the market to actively regulating or controlling the market. Third, support the establishment of a group of vegetable deep-processing enterprises, extend the industrial chain, increase product added value and at the same time reduce market risks. Fourth, establish a new mechanism for brand sales.

At the same time, it is suggested that the government integrate special funds from departments such as commerce, price and finance to set up a minimum price protection fund for vegetables, subsidize farmers when vegetable purchase prices are too low, and increase farmers' enthusiasm for growing vegetables.