A post-90s college graduate's strawberry startup path

Strawberries that have already ripened

White strawberry greenhouse

The strawberries in the picture are pale in color. You might think they are not yet ripe, but you would be wrong. In fact, they are fully ripe and taste especially sweet and fragrant. They are simply a different color from the red strawberries we usually eat, and they have a nice name: "peach white strawberry." It is precisely this new variety of strawberry that has made post-90s college graduate entrepreneur Jia Jiandong even more confident in his startup.

Jia Jiandong is a college graduate who came from Qingshuihe County, Hohhot, to Genbao Village, Jinhe Town, Saihan District, to start a business. In 2014, after graduating from Inner Mongolia Agricultural University with a major in protected agriculture science and engineering, he embarked on the path of entrepreneurship with the help of his university teachers and the policy support of the Saihan District Human Resources and Social Security Bureau.

In a greenhouse rented free of charge in Genbao Village, Jia Jiandong planted off-season strawberries and muskmelons in the first year. Because he lacked practical experience, he lost money. In the second year, although he had the guidance of a technician from Genbao Village, the strawberries he planted still yielded very little because he lacked sales channels. This year is his third year in business. With the experience of the previous two years, Jia Jiandong introduced 4 varieties from Dandong this year: Benihoppe, Lasong No. 6, Saga Honoka, and peach white strawberry. The peach white strawberry in particular has plump juice and is sweet and delicious, with a peach-like taste, and it became very popular as soon as it hit the market.

"From starting my business in 2014 to now, I have invested 150,000 yuan. In the first two years I lacked experience. Fortunately, the strawberries are growing very well this year. If I can open up sales channels, I expect the income will be good," Jia Jiandong said. In the future, he plans to continue growing strawberries, keep introducing new varieties, and also work harder on packaging.