Blueberry Bumper Harvest Brings Joy to Fruit Growers in Chaohu City, Anhui
Recently, the author visited a blueberry orchard covering about 120 mu (8 hectares) at Yuanshan Farm in Xiahe Town, Chaohu City. Strolling through it, the branches were laden with green and red berries, a truly delightful sight. The orchard owner, Wang Fulong, has been growing blueberries for several years and is a true expert.
"The blueberry is known as the 'queen of fruits.' It flowers and bears fruit in the second year after planting, but the yield is small. By the third year it produces a moderate yield, and only in the fifth year does it enter its full production period. It is a plant that requires plenty of patience before you can reap the harvest," Wang Fulong said, talking about blueberries at length.
In 2012, Wang Fulong resolutely chose blueberry cultivation, this "rare" industry. At the time, people around him were not optimistic, thinking blueberries were difficult to grow, had a long growing cycle, and required several years of investment before any harvest could be seen. Even if they were grown well, local market demand was not great, and finding buyers would be a problem. But Old Wang did not retreat in the face of the well-meaning advice of those around him, and firmly set out on the path of blueberry cultivation.
In the first three years of blueberry cultivation, there was only investment and no output. However hard and tiring it was, Old Wang was not afraid, but the shortage of funds was truly worrisome. Then a chance opportunity completely solved Old Wang's funding troubles. Sun Yiyuan, a client manager at the Xiahe Branch of Chaohu Rural Commercial Bank, passed by the blueberry orchard during a grid-based visit and struck up a conversation with Wang Fulong, who was in the field inspecting the growth of the blueberries. After learning of Wang Fulong's financial difficulties, Sun Yiyuan went back and looked up detailed information about blueberry cultivation online, then visited again to conduct a detailed investigation of Wang Fulong's production and business situation, and then made a decision Wang Fulong could hardly believe: to issue Wang Fulong a Jinnong Yidai - Funong Card with a credit limit of 100,000 yuan. With this easy-loan card, he could borrow and repay at any time within the 100,000 yuan limit.
"When you have set your mind on something, no matter how hard it is, don't give up. As long as you persevere, someone will come to help you!" Looking back on the early days of his business, Wang Fulong felt this deeply. "Now the orchard has entered its full production period and has a stable market. Things will get better and better. But without the help of the rural commercial bank, our blueberry orchard might not have made it through the first three years. You know, a pure credit loan of 100,000 yuan with no collateral at all is something even your own brother might not be willing to lend. This 100,000 yuan from the rural commercial bank not only gave me financial support, but also gave me encouragement!" Wang Fulong said, then smiled, a smile so confident and determined.