Workers were busy selecting, bagging, packaging and classifying navel oranges in the workshop of Xiangxi Yunlai Agricultural Development Company in the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Park of Baojing County, Xiangxi. And boxes of navel oranges were loaded onto trucks through conveyor belts.
“More than 30 workers have been working since February 12 and busy completing orders from the Philippines and Malaysia. Orders from regular customers in such countries as Singapore and North Korea are still coming in,” said Tian Rubiao, head of the production department of the company.
Established in 2018, the company mainly engages in the production and sales of agricultural products like citrus and kiwifruit.
The 55-year-old worker Wang Shunju has worked in the company for six years. Wang said that she has jobs to do every month, such as picking fruits, selecting fruits and cultivating and managing fruit trees in the base. She can earn about 50,000 yuan a year. While taking care of her family, she can also make money.
The company still has 60 permanent employees like Wang Shunju. And during busy periods, it will temporarily recruit local workers nearby to ramp up production, with the maximum number of workers reaching over 200.
In addition to driving employment, the company also purchased kiwifruits and citrus from local and surrounding fruit farmers in Longshan County, Yongshun County and other areas. It has helped increase the collective economic income of more than 10 villages in the production area.
In 2023, the company sold more than 20,000 tons of citrus and other fruits, of which 5,000 tons were exported, with a sales revenue of 130 million yuan.
When it comes to this year’s goals, Wu Qipeng, chairman of the company, is full of confidence. He said that the company will strive to achieve 200 million yuan of operating revenue in the new year, helping more fresh fruits from deep mountain areas to be sold globally.
