Shaodong County's first fig science popularization base was founded by returning farmer Yang Zhen
On October 30, the Shaodong County Science and Technology Association decided to list the fig base planted by returning farmer Yang Zhen as one of the county's top ten science and technology popularization bases, giving it support in planting technology and project support policies.
Yang Zhen is a villager of Watang Village, Huochangping Town. After drifting around elsewhere for more than three years, he felt that starting a business was still better back home. So in February this year, while browsing the internet, he was drawn to a piece of information about fig cultivation. He then taught himself the relevant fig-growing techniques online and gathered market information and data. Full of hope, he contracted 50 mu of farmland in the village and invested 500,000 yuan to grow figs. Planting began in March, and by autumn the trees were unexpectedly laden with fruit, with a yield of more than 500 kg per mu. Demand for the fruit exceeded supply, and dealers came to his door to buy it at 20 yuan per kg.
The fig is a rare fruit and a pollution-free green food. Sweet in taste and neutral in nature, it is rich in enzymes such as protease, lipase, amylase and oxidase, all of which promote the breakdown of protein. It can strengthen the spleen and benefit the stomach, moisten the lungs and soothe the throat, and lubricate the intestines to relieve constipation. It is hailed as "the guardian angel of human health in the 21st century." Its fresh fruit has an edible rate of up to 97%, while dried fruit and candied fruit reach 100%, and it has a low acid content and no large hard seeds, making it especially suitable for the elderly and children. The fig's fruit, leaves, branches and even the whole plant can be used as medicine. Putting dried fig leaves in a bathtub has the effect of warming the body and preventing and treating neuralgia, hemorrhoids and fistula, and swelling and pain, while also having a skin-beautifying effect. Fig cultivation has very high economic returns, and Yang Zhen's trial planting of figs succeeded in one stroke, recovering the cost in just one year.
In order to help surrounding villagers get rich and expand the planting area, he also applied to establish the "Shaodong County Kuangye Fig Farmers' Professional Cooperative," attracting more than 10 villagers to join. This year, the base's demonstration planting area will be expanded by 100 mu, using the demonstration effect to drive more farmers to plant figs and walk the road to prosperity together. On October 27, when Guo Sanxing, chairman of the county Science and Technology Association, led science and technology personnel to conduct a survey in the village, he expressed appreciation for the spirit of returning farmer Yang Zhen in getting rich through science and technology, and immediately decided to take the survey results back for study and apply for a fig science popularization demonstration base for Yang Zhen.