First Secretary of Zhidan County, Shaanxi, Leads Villagers to Prosperity Through Apples

"Seeing fruit growers worried because they had a bumper apple harvest but could not sell them, as the village's first secretary I was extremely anxious. Right now I must help the fruit growers sell their apples; this is more important than anything else." Gao Zhenfeng, the first secretary of Huashian Village, Yizheng Town, Zhidan County, Yan'an City, who had just arrived in the village not long before, discovered during his visits and research that of the village's 480 mu of fruit trees, more than 100 mu had already begun bearing fruit, and the whole village's apple output reached more than 40 tons. It was a standard bumper year, but the villagers were burning with anxiety because the apples were not selling well.

Gao Zhenfeng posted his idea in the county-wide first secretaries' WeChat work group and quickly received responses from other first secretaries. Poor apple sales were not only the predicament of Huashian Village but also a common problem faced by every village in the county.

In recent years, Zhidan County has consistently developed an apple-dominated industry to enrich the people. The county now has 224,300 mu of orchards, with 90,000 mu bearing fruit and an output of 50,000 tons. However, problems are quite prominent, such as scattered areas of fruit-bearing orchards, a low degree of scale, a low rate of premium fruit, insufficient storage capacity, and incomplete functions of specialized cooperative organizations. How to help farmers sell apples at a good price became the urgent priority for the county's first secretaries after arriving in their villages.

He Hongmei is the first secretary sent by the county Association for Science and Technology to Xiyanggou Village, Bao'an Subdistrict Office. She voluntarily took up the banner of apple sales, traveling to almost all the apple trade fairs in surrounding cities and counties and running around to contact fruit merchants. She not only successfully sold the village's apples but also actively helped fruit growers reach sales agreements with logistics companies such as China Post and YTO Express to promote out-of-town apple sales. In response to problems in the apple industry's development, she invited experts from the Agricultural Broadcasting and Television School and the Fruit Industry Bureau to conduct closed-door training for more than 50 fruit growers in Xiyanggou Village.

Hao Wenhu is the first secretary sent by the county Administration for Industry and Commerce to Songzhuang Village, Shunning Town. Leveraging his expertise in WeChat commerce and e-commerce, he opened an online store, guided fruit growers in selecting and packaging fruit, and sold premium apples across the country.

The apples of Zhanggoumen Village, Bao'an Subdistrict Office, were sold to other provinces, but some customers reported that due to packaging problems, the apples were crushed during transport. First Secretary Niu Shihong promptly posted the problem in the first secretaries' WeChat work group, and everyone helped coordinate a solution. Before long, express packaging boxes specially designed for transporting apples were delivered to the village. Ren Chunxian, the first secretary sent by the Provincial Soil and Water Conservation Bureau to Wangtai Village, Yizheng Town, posted the village's apple sales information on his mobile phone's Moments and WeChat groups, advertised and promoted among colleagues, relatives and friends, used his own influence to promote Zhidan mountain apples, and helped farmers sell more than 300 boxes of apples.

"A fruit merchant is coming to Shuanghe Nanling today to buy apples. Are there any apples left along the Tutou and Haojiawan line?" Tong Yu, the first secretary of Shuanghe Town, asked in the WeChat group. "Buying large quantities of bagged Red Fuji, specification: starting from 70. Fruit growers with apples, contact me, 1779116××××." Lu Tingsheng, the first secretary of Zhaiziwa Village, Yizheng Town, sent out purchasing information in the WeChat group. Through information sharing and resource sharing, large-scale apple sales and relatively uniform prices were promoted, and the first secretaries became veritable "apple salesmen."

He Hongmei said: "The first thing I do every day when I pick up my phone is post an apple sales message in WeChat Moments." This also became an "occupational disease" for many first secretaries. For a time, the busy figures of first secretaries could be seen everywhere in the fields, online and offline. "In the process of helping fruit growers sell apples, I received tremendous help from leaders, colleagues, relatives and friends. A total of 522 boxes, 7,482 jin of apples were sold, for a total price of 35,670 yuan. While enjoying the fun of work, I also harvested abundant love and a sense of social responsibility." Ma Hongwei, the first secretary sent by the Provincial Legislative Affairs Office to Xiangyanggou Village, Shuanghe Town, wrote in WeChat Moments.

"When many people add firewood, the flames rise high. The county's first secretaries each showed their own abilities and helped fruit growers sell more than 2,000 tons of apples in total." Niu Xiangjun, Party branch secretary of the county Fruit Industry Bureau, said, "This poured in the enthusiasm and sweat of the first secretaries. Every apple sold carries warmth, warming the hearts of the vast number of fruit growers."

"Addressing the people's worries and resolving the people's difficulties is the bounden duty of first secretaries. After arriving in their villages, they made selling apples for farmers their urgent priority. Through concerted efforts, they achieved gratifying results, fully demonstrating the characteristics of first secretaries: high quality, willing to endure hardship, and capable of taking responsibility. I believe that in the future the first secretaries will better fulfill their work duties and, with their efforts and wisdom, make their due contributions to promoting rural development, increasing agricultural efficiency, and raising farmers' incomes." said Qu Yongfeng, member of the Standing Committee of the Zhidan County Party Committee and head of the Organization Department.