Huilongxu Encourages Farmers to Grow Monk Fruit and Get Rich

The citrus industry in Huilongxu has already reached maturity. Could other suitable new crop varieties be grown in Huilongxu to drive local people toward prosperity? With this question in mind, on the afternoon of January 8, Zhao Wenwang, Party Secretary of the Huilongxu Management District, led responsible officials from relevant district departments to Huangjia Village in Huilongxu Town to investigate monk fruit cultivation.

"Last year, villager Huang Ping from the Huangjia Group of our town introduced monk fruit seedlings and planted 8 mu, achieving success. The benefit per mu exceeded the output of an ordinary citrus orchard. Now many farmers are willing to introduce the crop, and the town's industrial structure will undergo a new adjustment," Wang Xinde, Party Secretary of Huilongxu Town, told Secretary Zhao. At Huang Ping's monk fruit planting base, Secretary Zhao asked Huang Ping in detail about his 2015 monk fruit planting scale, cultivation techniques, inputs and outputs, market benefits, and what difficulties exist in growing monk fruit in Huilongxu.

"Monk fruit, also known as 'immortal fruit,' is mainly produced in Guangxi and is a medicinal herb. We are close to Guangxi and the climate is suitable, so I tried introducing seedlings to plant it, and I never expected the benefits to be much better than growing citrus." "Thanks to one year of planting experience, I have mastered most of the cultivation techniques, and there is no technical problem." "In 2016 I will expand the planting area and at the same time lead other farmers to plant it on a large scale together, forming our own industry and brand." Huang Ping answered Secretary Zhao's questions with full confidence.

Zhao Wenwang, Party Secretary of the District, said happily: "Citrus is the management district's signature industry, but a single industrial structure increases risk. We must now encourage local people to actively develop a second industry, so that Huilongxu farmers can get rich through multiple channels. If growing monk fruit can become a path to prosperity for the people, our government departments should step up publicity, strengthen technical guidance, and provide policy support, so that through everyone's efforts the monk fruit industry can become another resounding signature of Huilongxu."