Changfeng Veteran Youth Raises Crayfish, Leading Poor Households onto the Path to Prosperity

"Don't be fooled by the weeds growing in this paddy field - hidden among the aquatic plants are little 'golden nuggets.'" At the ecological crayfish base by the Sanli River Reservoir in Chenzhuang Village, Zhuxiang Town, crayfish guy Liang Hongjun proudly talks about his secrets to raising crayfish. From a veteran youth to now a crayfish-raising expert, Liang Hongjun has not only become prosperous himself, but has also driven his fellow villagers to start businesses and fill their pockets.

First Try, Never Giving Up

Liang Hongjun, 30 years old this year, is a native of Chenzhuang Village, Zhuxiang Town. He joined the military in 2006 and was discharged in 2011. After leaving the barracks, Liang Hongjun always held onto his entrepreneurial dream. At first, he ran a restaurant in Hefei, but due to lack of experience, it ended in failure. In April 2013, Liang Hongjun returned to the village and was elected militia battalion commander and Youth League branch secretary, preparing to settle down in the countryside to start a business.

Born in a rural area, after market research, Liang Hongjun decided to choose crayfish farming - low cost, high economic benefit, and good market prospects - as his entrepreneurial project. Soon, with the support of his family and the help of town and village officials, Liang Hongjun invested 200,000 yuan, rented 200 mu of land by the Sanli River Reservoir, established the Hongjun Crayfish Farming Professional Cooperative, introduced crayfish seedlings, and once again set his entrepreneurial dream free.

Everything is hard at the beginning. "Due to lack of experience and poor technique, that year I lost 300,000 yuan on land rent, labor and crayfish seedlings." Recalling the past, Liang Hongjun still feels a lingering fear. He said the crayfish seedlings he put in just wouldn't grow after reaching full maturity, becoming "iron-headed crayfish" and "dwarf crayfish," small in size with hard shells, unable to fetch a good price.

As his farming experience continued to accumulate, Liang Hongjun gradually mastered the techniques. In July 2016, Liang Hongjun rented another 306 mu of land on the north side of the Sanli River Reservoir, preparing to go big with the "crayfish economy." "We now adopt the rice-crayfish co-culture model, producing both rice-crayfish rice and rice-field crayfish, all ecologically farmed." At the new base, Liang Hongjun said proudly while holding a full basket of crayfish.

Using this rice-crayfish co-culture model, rice yield per mu can reach over 1,000 jin, crayfish yield per mu is over 200 jin, and net income per mu can reach over 6,000 yuan. Liang Hongjun introduced that this year the two bases are expected to earn 600,000 yuan.

Leading in Helping the Poor and Needy

Those who prosper first should not forget their poor fellow villagers. In Zhuxiang Town's battle to advance poverty alleviation, Liang Hongjun took in 12 poor households to do odd jobs at the base, and actively supported poor households wanting to start businesses. Currently, he has provided free crayfish seedlings and technical guidance to 5 poor households. "Last year 'Crayfish Brother' gave me 50 jin of crayfish seedlings for free, plus the ones I bred myself, which earned me over 30,000 yuan." Poor household Gao Qianliang said excitedly.

In order to keep these "crayfish commanders," Liang Hongjun continuously studies their habits. When preparing the land, Liang Hongjun shaped the plots into terraces, then buried a drainage pipe in each plot. When the water in a plot rises to a fixed height, it automatically drains through the drainage pipe. Combined with the property of water flowing to lower places, a pump is then used to lift water from the lowest point to the higher plots. Liang Hongjun said, "This way a circulating 'living water' can be formed, ensuring clear water quality and increasing the oxygen content of the water. With such a good environment, the 'crayfish commanders' definitely won't want to leave."

Now, crayfish guy Liang Hongjun has established a crayfish farming cooperative. As a youth committee member of Changfeng County, Liang Hongjun has had this place listed by the County Youth League Committee as a Changfeng County Youth Entrepreneurship Demonstration Site.