Luo Xiaohui Carves Out a Path to Prosperity with Sheer Grit
Recently, Luo Xiaohui practiced martial arts under an apple tree.
On the 13th, standing at the village committee of Xinlin Village, Yidong Town, Hanyuan County, at an altitude of over 1,000 m, one could look down at the hillsides covered with lush apple trees, their branches laden with bright red apples.
Luo Xiaohui, a 39-year-old villager of Xinlin Village, walked with light steps among the fruit trees; when he came to a ditch, he leaped right over it, showing off some of his martial arts skills.
Obsessed with Kung Fu, Full of Grit
Finding a flat spot in the orchard, Luo Xiaohui stood still, focused his mind, set his horse stance, and sent wind flying with his fists. His boxing moves flowed like water, and the villagers nearby cheered him on.
"Since I was a child, I loved watching Bruce Lee's kung fu films, and I hoped to master a set of martial arts skills myself." Because his family was poor when he was young, Luo Xiaohui's kung fu dream remained only in the kicks and punches of a mischievous boy. After graduating from junior high school, he went out to work, doing the hardest and most tiring manual labor, and even digging coal in mines.
A few years later, he quit his job and came to a martial arts school in Mount Emei to begin a formal journey of studying kung fu.
Luo Xiaohui cherished his study time very much. Apart from eating and sleeping every day, he practiced boxing with his master. Regardless of severe cold or scorching heat, he trained on time and strove for precision. Finally, he learned a systematic boxing style and obtained a boxing coach certificate.
Never Stopping on the Path of Learning
The process of learning kung fu tempered Luo Xiaohui's will never to abandon or give up on anything. Whether it was later teaching himself electrical work, teaching himself for a college diploma, or teaching himself knowledge of fruit cultivation and becoming a well-known local "science and technology demonstration household," it all relied on this same grit.
In 2009, seeing the momentum of his hometown's fruit industry, Luo Xiaohui resolutely returned home and, together with several fellow villagers, established a fruit professional cooperative. As it has developed to today, the cooperative's base has reached 4,000 mu, covering almost all of Xinlin Village and also including parts of Haiting Village in Yidong Town, Hanyuan County, and Huangmu Town in Hanyuan County. Through the "cooperative + farmers" model, he led his fellow villagers to prosperity. Last year, the cooperative and farmers sold a total of 8,000 tons of apples.
"This year, green apple sales reached 3,500 tons. At present, the green apples have sold out, and red apples have begun to sell." During the harvest season, Luo Xiaohui's phone rang nonstop, with orders flying in from all over.
From 2009 to 2016, seven years of studying apple cultivation and sales made Luo Xiaohui an "expert," and he was rated as a "science and technology demonstration household" by the agricultural department.
Moving Toward the Entire Industry Chain
Luo Xiaohui and several large fruit and vegetable cooperatives in Hanyuan County established a cooperative union. Under the cooperative union, there are also institutions such as fruit fertilizer sales and a fruit and vegetable "bank," which can not only provide farmers with fertilizer but also solve the problem of farmers' shortage of funds for fruit and vegetable cultivation.
With a big tree to shelter under, one can enjoy the shade. Because he joined the cooperative union, Luo Xiaohui's "circle of friends" became richer, and everyone shared what they had with one another, entering a brand-new landscape in planting technology, sales sources, and areas of involvement.
A few days ago, a neighboring village invited him to teach apple cultivation techniques on site. Luo Xiaohui not only brought technical knowledge, but also answered many questions from fruit farmers on the spot about the fruit industry chain.
"Nowadays, fruit quality is valued more and more." Luo Xiaohui specially manages the cooperative's 1,500-mu base. At present, the products from this base have passed green food certification, which will drive more fruit farmers to carry out higher-standard fruit cultivation.