Laughter Echoes in the Medicinal Herb Fields, Growers Rejoice

Correspondent Zheng Jiayun

"Come and look, this patch of fritillary seedlings is growing so green and sturdy, this one mu of land will yield no less than 2000 jin." On February 26, Xiao Zilin, a poor household in Group 6 of Changcao Village, Chunmuying Township, Xuan'en County, couldn't help but exclaim while tending fritillary in the medicinal herb field. Right now is the best season for fritillary management, and in the Changcao Village Poverty Alleviation and Prosperity Medicinal Herb Industrial Park, the herb growers are all busily engaged in spring management of the herbs, a scene of bustling activity.

"These more than 2 mu of fritillary are growing really well, guaranteed a big harvest and big income increase!" This model medicinal herb field has stirred up the villagers' expectations for a bountiful harvest of medicinal herbs.

"When we first started planting fritillary the year before last, the growth was not very good and the income was not high either. Last year, with the help of the village-stationed crack team from the Prefecture Central Hospital, we adopted a combination of planting and breeding, and applied only farmyard manure and burnt soil ash fertilizer to all the fritillary. Now, whether in terms of the growth of the fritillary or the income, it looks to be much better than last year. The output is expected to more than double compared with last year, and 0.5 tons per mu is no problem." Li Yonghui, Party branch secretary and village committee director of Changcao Village, is full of confidence about the increased production and income of fritillary.

At the same time, fritillary planting has also provided employment and increased income for the villagers of this village. "Our village's medicinal herb industrial park grows fritillary, achyranthes, panax notoginseng, Paris polyphylla and other industries. Priority is given to poor households to work in the industrial park. Today, these 4 villagers managing fritillary at Xiaojiaya are all poor people from this group." introduced Yu Ji'an, member of the village Party branch and discipline inspection member.

"Whenever there is work in the industrial park, I come. I can earn 80 yuan a day. With the big increase in fritillary production this year, we poor households will have another income." Tao Hongqing, a poor household in Group 8 of Changcao Village, said cheerfully.

"There is no problem with the sales channel for fritillary. Two medicinal herb processing plants have contacted us to come and purchase fritillary." introduced Zeng Xianhao, head of Xuan'en County Hengrui Pharmaceutical Company. Chunmuying Township grows more than 500 mu of fritillary, and the total output of fritillary this year is expected to exceed 400,000 jin, with a total output value of about 3.2 million yuan.