Allium chinensis helps increase villagers’ income

There was a bustling scene at an allium chinensis processing factory in Dabaiyan Village, Changtanhe Township, Baojing County. After allium chinensis was screened, cleaned, pickled, sterilized and peeled off on the conveyors, its value has doubled several times.

“Before, I had to handle and process allium chinensis and find sales channels. Now that there is a processing factory in the village, I can sell them directly to the factory, which is very convenient,” a local grower said. He planted about 100 mu (6.67 hectares) of allium chinensis this year, with a yield of 150 tons and an output value of 390,000 yuan. In September 2023, a total of 260 mu (about 17.33 hectares) of allium chinensis were planted in Dabaiyan Village. This year, a processing plant has been completed, equipped with 10 fermenting tanks that can accommodate 2.5 million kilograms of allium chinensis.

The processing plant not only facilitates the processing and transportation of farmers, but also provides job opportunities for villagers nearby. The development of the allium chinensis industry in the village has attracted more villagers to plant it.

The allium chinensis industry is one of the rural revitalization projects in Xiangyin County, Yueyang County, which provides pairing assistance for Changtanhe Township. Starting from 2022, Changtanhe Township has adopted a model of cooperative plus base plus farmer with Xiangyin County to promote cooperation and development.
500 mu (about 33.33 hectares) of allium chinensis are planted in Dabaiyan, Tuzha and Yaodong villages. One base and five areas were built, and a processing plant was established to implement rough processing for allium chinensis and increase their added value.

Meanwhile, the village collective has cooperated with Yueyang Hairi Food to ensure sales.

“The company provides free planting guidance and technical support, invites experts to hold field planting training classes, fully utilizes the assistance funds to introduce the whole processing industrial chain of allium chinensis, and reaches order cooperation agreements with other companies to purchase pickled allium chinensis products,” said Huang Zhijie, temporary deputy secretary of the township.

Long Jian, village secretary, said, “Although there was a slight reduction in production last year due to weather conditions, this year’s production per mu (about 0.067 hectares) has also reached 1,500 kg, with a total output of about 390 tons. According to the acquisition agreement, the output value is about 4.095 million yuan.”

Speaking of future industrial development, he added that next year, the village will expand planting areas, and gradually improve the industrial chain, in a bid to develop Dabaiyan Village into a star village in the allium chinensis industry.