Honey plum obtains national green food certification

Recently, the agricultural product honey plum in Yanli Village, Neixi Township, Longshan County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture has obtained A-level green food certification after strict review by the China Green Food Development Center. It becomes the 11th green food in the county to receive this honor, further enhancing its market competitiveness. Since its introduction under the help of Kaifu District of Changsha City in 2018, 500 mu (about 33.33 hectares) of honey plums have been planted in Yanli Village, becoming an important pillar industry of the local collective economy.

Kaifu District has provided strong support in the development of the honey plum industry in the village. It helped the village introduce excellent varieties, build a modern industrial park, train planters, and expand sales channels.

In order to help the village collective solve the technical difficulties in industrial development, agricultural experts were invited to conduct on-site technical guidance on the development of the honey plum planting industry in September last year. “Due to continuous drought from June to July every year, honey plums are easy to crack,” said Tian Qingyu, Party secretary of Yanli Village, adding that lack of technical guidance led to a low fruit yield and poor quality. The experts put forward valuable suggestions on how to scientifically prune branches, improve fruit setting rate, assist pollination, control diseases and pests, and prevent fruit cracking.

Honey plums are about to usher in a bountiful harvest season. The cultivation of honey plums has not only provided employment opportunities for local villagers, but also driven rapid growth of the village collective economy.

In 2022, honey plums entered the trial production period and increased income of more than 210,000 yuan for the collective economy.

The green food certification the honey plums received is an affirmation for the development achievements of the agricultural industry in Yanli Village, and will provide strong support for rural revitalization in Neixi Township.

Neixi Township will take action to promote high-quality agricultural products such as honey plums, expand sales channels, and increase market share to further boost farmers’ income.