Lai Chunmu: Reading the Pig-Raising Scripture by Targeting the Market

    For days, Lai Chunmu, owner of the "Muchun Ecological Comprehensive Breeding Farm" in Zhuotian, Changting, has been busy on the hills around the farm, instructing workers to apply biogas slurry and biogas residue to the more than 20,000 Chinese fir trees planted last year. "Using a biogas digester is very environmentally friendly, avoids sewage discharge, and can also serve as fertilizer." The words of this "pig-raising king" reveal a strong environmental awareness.

In 2001, Changting County vigorously developed remote-mountain ecological agriculture and introduced a series of support policies. Lai Chunmu, who was then doing odd jobs in Longyan, heard the news and immediately returned to his hometown of Zhuotian Town, Changting County, to prepare to read the "pig scripture." The county and township government departments provided him with various services such as land and loan guarantees. In 2002, they helped him establish an ecological breeding farm on the hilltop of Nan'an Village, Zhuotian Town. At that time, his pig farm had fewer than 100 pigs on hand. Because Lai Chunmu had previously been engaged in the pig trade, he was no stranger to pig farming. Coupled with his hard-working and uncomplaining nature, his eagerness to learn and ask questions, and his skill at making friends through "pigs," his "pig scripture" was read better and better. Two years later, Lai Chunmu renamed his pig breeding farm Muchun Pig Development Co., Ltd., and served as general manager himself. Thanks to proper management, the company's breeding scale gradually grew and expanded. Two years ago, Lai Chunmu registered the "Muchun Ecological Comprehensive Breeding Farm," hired more than 20 workers with professional breeding technology, and built 10 biogas digesters of 500 cubic meters each to carry out harmless treatment of the farm's sewage, making it a standardized, large-scale, and environmentally friendly high-standard pig farming demonstration farm in Changting. At present, there are 350 sows on hand, more than 2,500 piglets, and an annual slaughter of more than 6,000 head. The business has reached Guangdong, Jiangxi, Hainan, and other places, with an annual output value of over 10 million yuan. Last spring, he planted more than 20,000 Chinese fir trees on the hills around the farm. Pig manure and urine flow into the biogas digester, which can both produce biogas, and the biogas residue can serve as fertilizer for the Chinese fir trees. He also invested more than 200,000 yuan in sewage facilities, doing a good job in the pig farm's environmental protection work.

Lai Chunmu, who escaped poverty and became prosperous, also led surrounding farmers to become wealthy through pig farming, and gave strong help in technology, funds, information, and other aspects. Over the past few years, more than 100 farming households have become large pig-raising households with his support and funding. He also donated to 6 college students and often cared about and supported public welfare causes in his hometown. In 2003, Lai Chunmu was awarded "Top Ten Youth Demonstration Households in the City" by the Longyan Municipal Government. In 2004, he was rated as a municipal model worker. In 2008, he was also awarded titles such as "National Rural Youth Leader in Entrepreneurship and Wealth Creation" by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League and the Ministry of Agriculture.