Hubei Fruit Lotus Successfully Introduced in Hubei; A "Top Student" Farmer Scores a New Achievement

There is a common Chinese proverb: "Live and learn." As long as you are willing to learn, it is never too late to start. In Licheng District, a farmer taught himself college courses, earned an associate degree, and grew a hundred mu of fruit lotus.

After graduating from high school, Liu Decheng went out to work and became a long-distance truck driver. After more than ten years on the road, traveling north and south, he fell in love with the scenery of the vast lotus ponds in the south and resolved to "transplant" Hubei fruit lotus, which combines ornamental value, vegetable use and fruit use, back to Jinan. To this end, he first turned himself into a "top-student-level" farmer, studying scientific farming in every way.

On Sunday, January 22, at the entrance of Qujia Village, Baoshan Subdistrict Office, Licheng District, at the Baoshan Lotus Root Research and Development Base and Baiquan Fruit Lotus Family Farm, several farmers hired by Liu Decheng were digging lotus roots in the boundless lotus ponds. He, a man who once traveled around for work, stood by the road beside the base, guarding a pile of freshly harvested lotus roots. No need to hawk them; passersby traveling north and south would stop when they saw them.

An elderly man rode up from a neighboring village on an electric tricycle and picked up a lotus root with a very critical eye, examining it carefully. "Too expensive." "You have to cut the root ends off for me." "Is it really crisp and fiberless? Does it really have a fruity flavor?" ... After a round of "nitpicking," he readily bought several dozen jin. As he was leaving, he smiled and said, "I used to grow lotus roots myself. No one can fool me. Today I've looked at more than a dozen sellers of lotus roots, and this one is the best."

The reporter saw that the water in the lotus pond had already been drained, and a layer of antifreeze film covered it. Liu Decheng said, "If there is water in the lotus pond, you can directly use a water gun to wash away the mud. It is easy to dig, and the lotus roots dug out are clean, with almost none damaged, but they are not easy to store and tend to 'wilt.' After draining the water, the lotus roots dug out carry a little mud. They are easy to store and can also keep a fruit-like texture."

At Liu Decheng's home, he keeps about 10 certificates from various scientific farming knowledge training classes. He was an outstanding trainee in every session. Several years ago, while working away from home, he self-studied college courses and earned an associate degree. Today, he has grown into an expert with various scientific farming skills.

Liu Decheng told the reporter that he does not have a high educational background. After graduating from high school, he went to the south to work and became a long-distance truck driver, doing that for more than ten years. During this period, he drove through Hubei many times and was attracted by the vast lotus ponds seen everywhere. Several years ago, Liu Decheng returned to his hometown and wanted to become a farmer practicing scientific farming. Whenever he heard that a scientific farming knowledge training class was being held somewhere, he would go there to sign up. At the end of 2015, in order to set a good example for the villagers, he contracted about 100 mu of farmland through land transfer. These farmlands are located where the spring water of Baiquan flows, with ample water, and the beautiful scene of vast lotus ponds appeared before his eyes again. Liu Decheng therefore hired experts from the academy of sciences as consultants and made a special trip to Hubei to inspect and learn lotus root cultivation techniques, successfully introducing Hubei fruit lotus.

In 2016, after the lotus seedlings were planted, Liu Decheng used the knowledge he had learned to diligently apply organic fertilizer and irrigate with Baiquan water. "This is the first harvest of lotus roots. I didn't expect them to be so well received once they hit the market. Every day at the village entrance, 300 boxes can be sold."

Next, Liu Decheng also wants to develop lotus bonsai, a lotus root farm restaurant and spring water suburban tours, using scientific knowledge and scientific planning to develop the "Baiquan Fruit Lotus" niche within the mass market for lotus roots, and through a demonstration and leading role, lead the villagers in specialty planting and specialty breeding.