A farmer-turned-businessman in Shuyang, Suqian blazes a trail to prosperity and becomes a local model

Wang Yiliang, approaching fifty and living in Maoxu Township, Shuyang County, is a farmer born and raised in the countryside, yet he is also a true businessman. Starting in 2008, he drew on the abundant land and labor resources of rural areas to establish a family farm and develop fruit tree cultivation, carving out a distinctive path to prosperity through a specialty industry that is different yet can be promoted and replicated.

A "farmer-businessman" with a keen eye. In Wang Yiliang's own view, he is just an ordinary farmer; but in the eyes of others, he is a businessman with a keen eye. "I have run quite a few farm projects, and I found that fruit tree cultivation is an industry with great development potential." Wang Yiliang analyzed that rural areas have vast land resources, an excellent natural ecological environment and a large surplus labor force, which can effectively reduce the production costs and investment risks of the fruit industry. With a keen eye and firm determination, Wang Yiliang transferred 70 mu of land locally at the end of 2008, choosing to plant early-ripening peaches and nectarines, which require relatively low technical know-how, have strong adaptability and bear fruit quickly. To master fruit tree cultivation techniques as quickly as possible, he bought many books and assiduously studied the basic knowledge and practical techniques of fruit tree cultivation and management.

After initially mastering the essential techniques of fruit tree cultivation and management, from 2009 to the spring of 2013, Wang Yiliang successively introduced more than 1,300 early-ripening peach seedlings, nectarine seedlings and others from Jiangxi, Anhui and other places. "The initial investment was relatively large, and I faced some financial pressure, so the strategy I adopted was to 'support the land with the land.'" Wang Yiliang told reporters that he set aside 30 mu of land to plant sweet potatoes, which require little input, yield high returns and generate income quickly, in order to ease the financial pressure. At the same time, he also became a "boss-worker," seizing every spare moment to work himself so as to minimize extra expenses.

With clear thinking, precise investment and sound management, Wang Yiliang's farm soon got on the right track. Later, he also introduced several new varieties such as red honey peaches and southern early oil king peaches, which have excellent taste. Not only that, he adapted to local conditions and set up a "fine peach picking garden," further enhancing the farm's economic benefits and reputation. Through unremitting efforts, the annual income of Wang Yiliang's family farm rose from 72,000 yuan in 2014 to 151,000 yuan in 2015, and even in this year's relatively sluggish market, he has already earned 122,000 yuan. "At the end of the year, I plan to introduce 10,000 plants of Zhongyou No. 16 nectarines, fresh-eating yellow peaches and other varieties with a good ripening window and excellent quality, to replace the current varieties with poorer returns," Wang Yiliang said.

"In fruit tree cultivation, we must strictly manage structural adjustment according to the consumption characteristics of the local people, focus on variety renewal, and produce products that are well-suited to the market." Through several years of management experience, Wang Yiliang has gained considerable insight. Rural areas possess superior land resources, human resources and ecological environment resources. Wang Yiliang identified the market, leveraged resource advantages, leased land, established a family farm, and blazed a path to prosperity through a specialty industry.