Dahaituo Melons

Dahaituo Melons

　　Dahaituo Village, Hujiaotuo Town, Leting County, Hebei Province

　　 Dahaituo Village is the birthplace of the revolutionary pioneer Comrade Li Dazhao. The main sources of income for local farmers are greenhouse-grown cucumbers and melons. The current planting area has reached 1,800 mu, involving 395 households and 980 people. In 2010, the village’s total economic income was 43.16 million yuan, of which greenhouse cucumber and melon production accounted for 33.55 million yuan, or 77.7% of the total. The per capita net income of villagers reached 10,593 yuan, which is 25% higher than the county average.

　　 Dahaituo Village has made full use of its advantages in greenhouse fruit and vegetable resources to develop a “one village, one product” strategy. In 2008, the village established Tangshan Changhua Juice Co., Ltd., which produces 50,000 tons of fruit and vegetable juice annually. Based on current market prices, its annual output value can reach 260–300 million yuan, with profits exceeding 60 million yuan. The company has now become a strong provincial-level leading enterprise. In 2009, Dahaituo Village set up the Jinxin Fruit and Vegetable Professional Cooperative, with a registered capital of 6.3 million yuan and 248 member households. In 2010, the cooperative achieved sales revenue of 48.07 million yuan. The cooperative organizes the unified production, procurement, warehousing, packaging, and transportation of fruits and vegetables. It not only provides employment for surplus rural labor but also organizes study trips for villagers, invites senior agricultural technicians from the county science association to provide training, and has established a comprehensive science and technology education and management platform integrating distance learning, the internet, expert lectures, farmers, and production bases.

　　 In addition, relying on the legacy of Li Dazhao and its eco-agricultural industry, Dahaituo Village has developed a red tourism and education base. Roads and miniature landscapes have been built, which have not only promoted the village’s spiritual civilization but also increased villagers’ income. Attractions such as Guihuayuan Garden, the Fruit Picking Garden, and the Farming Experience Garden now have preliminary reception capacity.