Li Lingrong opens the door to prosperity with hard-working hands

"The wholesale price of eggs has picked up recently, and sales have increased too. I just received another order from Shihezi City. The egg market is getting better and better, and I am full of confidence in laying hen farming!" On April 25, Li Lingrong, a farmer in the 62nd Regiment of the Fourth Division, told reporters with a smile.

The 62nd Regiment is less than one kilometer from Khorgos Railway Station, with convenient transportation. In 2002, while contracting land, Li Lingrong "set his sights" on the breeding industry and planned to develop laying hen farming. When he told his wife Zu Xuexia about his idea of getting rich by raising chickens, she gave him strong support. They took out their savings and raised funds from various sources, totaling 240,000 yuan, built a 1,000-square-meter modern chicken house in their own yard, and bought laying hen chicks, ready to go all out.

Li Lingrong often went to chicken farms near Yining City to inspect and learn, humbly asking for advice. He also visited feed production enterprises in person to observe feed ingredients and production procedures, learning while exploring experience. The couple devoted themselves wholeheartedly to the chicken farm, tending these "golden treasures" carefully day and night. Hard work paid off. By the end of 2002, 4,500 laying hens were laying eggs smoothly.

However, in January 2003, SARS struck. For a time, people turned pale at the mention of "chickens." Egg prices plummeted sharply, and other chicken farmers in the company sold their laying hens at low prices one after another. But Li Lingrong was unwilling to give up easily. After consulting relevant animal husbandry personnel, he decided to keep going. He strictly followed the immunization program, meticulously carried out chicken disease prevention and control work, prevented the occurrence of infectious diseases such as avian influenza, and often disinfected the coops and promptly removed laying hen manure, working for more than ten hours at a stretch. In the end, Li Lingrong's chicken farm successfully weathered that difficult period.

Because Li Lingrong practiced scientific breeding and the eggs were of good quality, out-of-town merchants signed long-term purchase contracts with him one after another. Now, he can sit at home while merchants come to buy eggs. The eggs are sold as far away as Shihezi, Urumqi and other places, and the family's income is growing.

Hard work opens the door to prosperity. With a fuller wallet, Li Lingrong hopes to lead more workers onto the road to prosperity.

"With Li Lingrong's timely help, I was able to build greenhouses and get on the road to prosperity," said Lu Wenge, a worker in the 62nd Regiment.

In recent years, as trade between China and Kazakhstan has become increasingly frequent, Li Lingrong discovered that the export volume of vegetables and fruits at Khorgos Port was very large. Lu Wenge decided to build greenhouses and take the path of protected agriculture.

When there was not enough money to build the greenhouses, Li Lingrong brought 35,000 yuan; when Lu Wenge did not understand planting techniques, Li Lingrong explored and studied together with him. Looking at the bright red tomatoes in the 4 greenhouses, which were so lovely, Lu Wenge smiled from ear to ear. After just one harvest, Lu Wenge paid off the debt for building the greenhouses.

"Everyone has times of difficulty. If you have the ability to help, then help." Li Lingrong often told his wife. In recent years, the couple have supported 7 poor households one after another, providing them with interest-free loans totaling more than 60,000 yuan.

"I always firmly believe that hard work can make me rich. In the future, I will continue to develop and expand laying hen farming, and I will also lead more workers onto the road to prosperity," Li Lingrong said.