Yang Heting and His Wife Develop Majiang Blueberries and Lead the People to Prosperity
In Majiang County, anyone who knows Yang Heting affectionately calls him Old Yang.
For 10 years, Old Yang has put down roots in Majiang, cultivating blueberries. Apart from his accent, which has never changed, he regards himself as a Majiang native and treats the blueberries as his own "children."
"If I can't grow blueberries successfully, I won't go back to Ningbo." Old Yang has always firmly believed in his choice. It is precisely his persistence that has shown the local villagers new hope brought by blueberries, and they have eagerly jumped on the bandwagon to prosperity.
Blueberries Make the Connection, Forging a Bond with Guizhou
Ningbo, Majiang, blueberries - what kind of fate brought these three together?
Yang Heting, a native of Zhejiang born in 1950, was one of the few university graduates of his generation. In the eyes of his wife Hu Yenong, Old Yang is thoughtful, down-to-earth, and hardworking.
In 1992, the couple contracted the Yongjiang Township Livestock Farm in Ningbo, becoming the operators of Ningbo's first "ten-thousand-head" pig farm. In 1999, riding the wave of state-owned enterprise restructuring, he founded Zhejiang Fenghua Yile Food Co., Ltd.
In 2004, Yang Heting's Yile Food Co., Ltd., then a leading agricultural enterprise in Ningbo, actively responded to the central government's call to provide paired assistance to the Qiandongnan Prefecture region of Guizhou Province.
And so, Old Yang forged his bond with Guizhou.
Through the recommendation of Qiandongnan officials, Yang Heting came to Danzhai County in Qiandongnan Prefecture for the first time to recruit workers. In a casual conversation, Old Yang told the locals that his factory had long been engaged in the selection and processing of exported blueberries. These blueberries were imported from the United States and Canada, and after selection were re-exported to Japan. The market was good, sales were large, and there was great potential.
Hearing this, the local officials were delighted. A type of blue berry cultivated in Majiang County, Qiandongnan Prefecture, closely resembled the blueberries Old Yang had described.
Having discovered a business opportunity, Old Yang decided to visit Majiang County in person for an on-site inspection. He brought blueberry branches home and gave them to Japanese experts for study. The experts confirmed that these were indeed blueberries, and that the local natural ecological environment was very suitable for growing organic blueberries.
Upon receiving this result, Yang Heting was overjoyed. Years of experience in foreign trade agricultural product processing had shown Old Yang the unlimited potential of the blueberry market.
"Are you going over there?" his wife asked Old Yang.
"If I don't go, it definitely won't succeed."
His wife Hu Yenong was very supportive of his venture in Guizhou. Because she knew that once Old Yang set his mind on something, he would do his utmost to accomplish it no matter what. Moreover, growing blueberries in Guizhou could also help the local people get rich together and change the poverty situation there. For Hu Yenong, her greatest concern was her husband's health, as he suffered from diabetes.
In 2005, 55-year-old Old Yang went alone to Majiang and began his blueberry entrepreneurial journey.
Sowing Sweat, Reaping Rewards
In his first year in Guizhou, Old Yang put a great deal of thought into successfully planting blueberries. Whether big matters or small, he personally participated and personally did the work. Though constantly on the move was tiring, Old Yang's heart was warm - the local government gave him tremendous help and encouragement.
Among those who dealt with Old Yang the longest, the Majiang County Fruit Office was one. When talking about the bitter and joyful experiences of Old Yang growing blueberries in Majiang, Long Xiaobo, a veteran staff member of the Fruit Office, could not stop talking. "If there's anyone the Fruit Office should thank the most, it's Old Yang. He made our work recognized."
Starting from 2000, the county Fruit Office succeeded in introducing and cultivating blueberries, and subsequently made continuous breakthroughs in blueberry cultivation and seedling breeding. The blueberry industry began to show enormous development potential. Blueberry seedlings were cultivated, and blueberries bore fruit, but at that time people knew little about blueberries and were unsure whether there was actually a market for them, so they dared not take the risk easily.
Old Yang's arrival undoubtedly ignited the Fruit Office's hopes. Through the efforts of all parties, Yang Heting registered and established "Majiang Qian-Yong Blueberry Co., Ltd." Qian stands for Qiandongnan; Yong stands for Ningbo. The naming of "Qian-Yong Blueberry Co., Ltd." shows Yang Heting's thoughtful intentions.
Old Yang bought seedlings from the county Fruit Office and planted 350 mu of blueberries from the very start - surveying the land, digging tree pits, drawing lines and marking, fertilizing, irrigating... To make it convenient to tend to the blueberries' growth, Old Yang built a shed at the blueberry base and ate and lived on the mountain together with the farmers.
At that time, there was no road to the base, so Old Yang rode a motorcycle up the mountain, and when it rained he could only walk on muddy paths. Over 10 years, he shuttled through the mountains, wearing out 3 motorcycles and wrecking one Mitsubishi sedan.
Resolutely bidding farewell to his wife and children, leaving his warm home to start a business in a remote area, the harsh living conditions, differences in living habits, and the threat of illness posed a tremendous test for Old Yang.
"I've never thought of backing down. Since I've come, I must do this well." Old Yang wholeheartedly wished for the blueberries to grow quickly.
But all beginnings are difficult. The seedlings planted in the first year - due to lack of experience and eagerness for quick results - in April and May of the second year after planting, half the young seedlings died from drought, losing more than 60,000 yuan.
He could no longer plant seedlings blindly. Considering the special terrain of Guizhou's mountainous areas, if there was drought and water shortage, it was unrealistic to rely on manual labor to irrigate the seedlings. Therefore, Old Yang came up with a solution: he bought nutrient cups, placed the young seedlings dug from the soil into them, concentrated the watering and management, and after they grew to a certain height, replanted them back into the soil.
In this way, by the spring of 2007, Old Yang had planted blueberry seedlings in 7 blueberry bases covering an area of 1000 mu in Xuanwei Town, Longshan Town and other areas of Majiang County. That spring, the seedlings grew especially well...
Driving Fellow Villagers to Prosper Together
At Old Yang's 7 blueberry bases, each base had an average of 30 people responsible for picking fruit and pruning, each earning a daily wage of 60 yuan, with overtime pay calculated separately. Over the years he never defaulted on wages, and was never stingy about the help he could provide. On Old Yang, one could not see the slightest hint of a boss's airs - everyone did not call him "President Yang," as that would actually feel awkward.
In 2009, Old Yang's blueberry trees bore fruit for the first time, producing 10 tons of fresh berries. In 2010, production reached 50 tons, and in 2011 it reached 100 tons. Seeing that Old Yang's blueberries had grown into something promising, the farmers all decided to throw themselves into the work and follow Old Yang.
"Don't be afraid, everyone. If the blueberries you grow can't be sold, I'll be responsible for buying them. The more people who grow them, the more an industry can take shape. I alone am insignificant - it takes everyone working together to give Majiang blueberries a place in the market." A few crisp words gave the farmers a reassuring pill.
As a veteran employee of Yang Heting's company, Wang Qing had been doing planting management for Old Yang's blueberry bases since 2006. Now, as the company's Production Management Department Manager, he is responsible for managing all of Old Yang's blueberry bases.
When Wang Qing had just graduated, it happened to coincide with Old Yang's arrival in Majiang to grow blueberries. Because he had studied fruit tree cultivation, and had both technical skills and ideals, he was recommended to Old Yang by the county Fruit Office, and he worked there for 8 years.
"I thank Old Yang for giving me this opportunity back then. Following him, I also learned a lot of experience in management and marketing." As Old Yang's capable assistant, relying on Old Yang's company platform and market contacts, Wang Qing became a blueberry sales broker.
"If your family's blueberries aren't selling well, go find Wang Qing." Long Xiaobo of the Fruit Office told the reporter.
Driven by Old Yang, Wang Qing became one of the first pioneers in planting blueberries. From 2009 to now, he has developed more than 100 mu of planting area and also registered and established a small micro-enterprise. By hitching a ride on Old Yang's train, Wang Qing's business has flourished.
There are many other farmers who were driven to action just like Wang Qing. In the early years, Tian Rulian of Gaijiang Group, Gonghe Village, Longshan Town worked at Old Yang's company, while her husband Long Guoben worked elsewhere. The employees who had been watching from the sidelines saw that Old Yang's blueberries indeed had a market, and after Old Yang promised to purchase at guaranteed prices, they all spontaneously began growing blueberries one after another.