Talking about increasing income together in the improved-variety vineyards of Tancheng, Shandong

It is early autumn, the season when the fragrance of grapes fills the air. Walking into the Tuoyuan improved-variety vineyard in Tancheng County, Shandong Province, waves of fresh grape aroma greet the nose, and the grape trellises are laden with clusters of colorful grapes such as Summer Black, Black Globe, Pearl, and Sunshine, forming a beautiful "grape estate" scene.

Tancheng County has long been known as the "Southern Gateway of Shandong," with fertile soil, convenient irrigation conditions, and abundant sunlight, providing a good environment for grape growing. In recent years, the county has introduced and promoted more than 10 grape varieties such as "Summer Black," "Black Globe," and "Sunshine." In several townships including Huayuan Township, Guichang Township, and Gaofengtou, more than 10,000 mu of grapes have been planted. Farmers have mastered rich experience in grape growing, and more than 100 grape-growing cooperatives, large growers, and family farms have emerged one after another. Growing improved varieties of grapes has become an effective way for local farmers to prosper.

"Only by offering what others don't have, promptly replacing old varieties and introducing new improved ones, can we satisfy consumers' tastes and sell improved-variety grapes at a good price." Yan Shiqing, owner of the Haofeng Family Farm who has tasted the sweetness of growing improved-variety grapes, said from deep experience. The year before last, relying on support from the local rural commercial bank, he took out a loan of more than 200,000 yuan and, through land transfer, established a vineyard of more than 50 mu. He was among the first to introduce three new varieties, "Pearl," "Summer Black," and "Black Globe," and changed from open-field planting to greenhouse planting. While other people's grapes had just sprouted, his greenhouse grapes had already flowered and set fruit, reaching the market more than a month earlier. In addition, because they were new varieties that no one locally was growing, rarity drove up the price, and they sold for 20 to 30 yuan per jin, one jin fetching the price of several jin of ordinary grapes.

The Tancheng County Agriculture Bureau provides a science-and-technology package service to growers of improved-variety grapes. Technical staff follow up with guidance, moving the training classroom into the grape greenhouses and carrying out "menu-style" training, teaching them new grape management techniques that are "easy to learn" and "practical to apply." In terms of financial support, the Tancheng Rural Commercial Bank also gives extra care to growers of new grape varieties, opening a "green channel" for micro-loans. Any grape grower applying for a loan can enjoy priority support of 50,000 yuan in micro-credit funds, removing funding difficulties for grape growers in land transfer, seedling cultivation, and the purchase of greenhouse materials.

At present, large growers, cooperatives, and family farms growing improved-variety grapes in Tancheng County have received technical guidance more than 1,900 times and enjoyed more than 12 million yuan in support funds from the rural commercial bank. By growing improved-variety grapes, they have become "grape estate owners" and realized the "grape estate dream."

Xu Gang, Zhang Wenrong