How to grow the grape-picking business bigger? Jiang Zhimin gives the answer
Jiang Zhimin is picking grapes
"Hello, do you want mountain grapes?" "One jin of fresh mountain grapes can make 6 to 8 liang of wine. How many jin do you want?" These days, Jiang Zhimin, a grape grower, is busy connecting with customers. It is understood that Jiang Zhimin's family has already earned more than 40,000 yuan from grape sales this year.
Setting out from Molidawa, after a drive of just over ten minutes, the reporter arrived at the Ertu Grape Picking Garden in Dongsheng Village, Neilji Town, where clusters of grapes inside 4 greenhouses are especially delightful. The owner of the greenhouses, Jiang Zhimin, is busy picking grapes for customers.
Jiang Zhimin, 36 years old this year, is from Arun Banner. At the age of 15 he came to live in Dongsheng Village, Neilji Town, Molidawa, and settled down and started a family in Molidawa. Jiang Zhimin's mother said: "Because we moved here later, we had no land, but our own yard was large, so we thought we should plant something valuable. After experimenting, we decided to grow grapes." Speaking of growing grapes, Jiang Zhimin said: "At first, my father-in-law planted a few grapevines in the yard, and they grew very well. At that time, almost no one in Molidawa grew grapes, because everyone thought the accumulated temperature here was not enough, and even if they survived, the grapes would not taste good. I planted a few in the yard just to give it a try, and those vines grew especially well, so I decided to develop grape growing."
In 2008, Jiang Zhimin began growing grapes. At first he did not build greenhouses and planted 1,000 grapevines directly in the yard. Jiang Zhimin really had no experience. He said: "I just planted them because I wanted to. Not only did I not ask others for advice, I also did not seriously study the ripening periods and other relevant details of the various grape varieties. I casually chose some varieties and planted them." After planting the vines, Jiang Zhimin carefully tended the young seedlings. Two or three years passed in a flash, but his grapes simply would not bear fruit. Only then did Jiang Zhimin understand that the grapes he had planted earlier were not suited to the climate here. So, after careful study, he basically eliminated all the original vines and planted varieties such as Summer Black, Victoria, and Zijing Rose. The later-planted grapes bore fruit in 2010.
Starting in 2011, Jiang Zhimin's grapes began to be picked on site. From that year on, his grapes had 3 sales channels: tourists picking in the garden themselves, wholesale, and retail. Jiang Zhimin said: "Sales in recent years have been fairly stable. Basically, the three sales methods each account for one third. Retail is mainly for grapes of not-so-good quality, sold at a slightly lower price." Jiang Zhimin said: "My family's vineyard now has 4 greenhouses in total, covering 6 mu. These 4 greenhouses were built one after another. In 2011, my wife Ren Xianxin established a farmers' professional cooperative. In 2013, the banner women's federation learned that we urgently needed development funds and arranged a 50,000-yuan interest-free loan for us. After building 2 more greenhouses, we now have 4 greenhouses." Ren Xianxin said: "All our grapes are grown with farmyard manure. From April to the end of July, we basically top-dress with farmyard manure once every half month, including fox manure and chicken manure. Delivered to our home, it costs 180 yuan per cart, and top-dressing is especially hard work, all so that everyone can eat grapes with peace of mind."
Jiang Zhimin did some calculations. He said: "My family's grapes now cover 6 mu of land. Last year's income was 80,000 yuan. If this land were planted with soybeans, the income would be only five or six thousand yuan. With little land, you have to grow cash crops. My family's yard is large. Now I am thinking about developing agritourism on the basis of picking. Only with more projects can we keep more people here. At present I am looking for someone who can help me with planning. I want to make the picking business bigger."