Sponge gourds bring wealth to villagers

Rows of lush vines are covered with green and plump sponge gourds in a planting base of Yanke Village, Shilan Town, Huayuan County, Xiangxi Prefecture in midsummer.

Over dozens of villagers were cutting leaves and pruning branches, and carefully inspecting the growth status of each vine to ensure that every sponge gourd can grow well. “After the leaves of sponge gourds like these were cut off, light can shine in, making the sponge gourds taste good and grow well.” Wu Xiaoying, head of the sponge gourd planting base, guided villagers to trim the sponge gourd vines.

Now, the base plants over 100 mu (6.67 hectares) of white sponge gourds. Advanced planting techniques and high-quality varieties have been introduced, and service guidance has been provided by the Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Scientific and standardized planting management has been implemented, and the yield and quality of sponge gourds have been significantly improved.

To actively adjust the industrial structure and take the path of industrial revitalization, in recent years, the cadres and resident working teams of Yanke Village have gone out for multiple inspections and studies. After learning about the prospects of the sponge gourd market, they decided to introduce sponge gourds for trial planting.

At the same time, they utilized the village’s land, water sources, technology, sales channels and other resources to develop the characteristic industry of sponge gourds, helping local villagers increase income and become prosperous.

From sowing to harvest, the base needs to hire a large number of workers every day for deep cultivation, fertilization, seedling planting, and weeding. Under their careful care, the sponge gourds have now got ripened. White sponge gourds have fewer pests and diseases during their growth process and are a green agricultural product. With thick flesh, and a sweet and delicious taste, it has a long harvest period and a high yield. The average yield per mu (about 0.067 hectares) ranges from 2,000 kg to 3,500 kg.

“Our sponge gourds are mainly sold to cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, and are highly favored by consumers,” said Tian Weiyong, village secretary.

Now, to improve the quality and quantity of sponge gourds, the village has also actively optimized planting management techniques, and coordinated production and sales, ensuring that sponge gourds can be planted and sold well.

Now, sponge gourds planting has provided solid industrial support for rural revitalization of Yanke Village. The village will continue to expand and strengthen the sponge gourd industry, making it a good way for boosting villagers’ income and rural revitalization.