Ordered sunflowers in Sihe Township, Lindian County generate an income of 1,500 yuan per mu

Recently, at the sunflower planting base of Tianhao Family Farm in Sihe Township, Lindian County, more than 10,000 mu of sunflowers were seen blooming in competition, filling the view with golden flowers against the sunlight, dazzling and colorful, forming a magnificent sea of sunflowers.

Compared with crops such as corn, sunflowers have a shorter growth cycle, simpler field management than others, lower production costs, and good economic returns. At this time of year, the sunflowers are in the bee pollination stage. The base introduced 6 groups of beehives for artificial supplementary pollination, and the yield per mu is 30% higher than normal.

Xing Haitao, owner of Tianhao Family Farm, said happily: “This year we signed an order for 11,000 mu with merchants from Taiwan, China, with a guaranteed minimum of 5 yuan per jin. From what we can see so far, the sunflowers are growing well, and the income per mu is expected to be around 1,500 yuan.”

In recent years, Sihe Township has treated adjusting the agricultural structure and changing the thinking on economic development as important measures to promote farmers' income growth. “To avoid the market risks brought by a single industrial structure of corn planting, we focus on distinctive cash crops. Through development over the next two years, we will gradually form a leading industry with the township's own characteristics, laying the foundation for increasing farmers' income. By looking for orders, channels, markets, information and other means, we have scientifically positioned ourselves and increased the planting area of distinctive crops. This year, the planting of distinctive crops such as rice, sunflowers, sugar beets and line hemp is about 100,000 mu, while the corn planting area is gradually shrinking.” said Zhao Yuqing, head of Sihe Township.