Jujubes from Zaoxiangqing

Jujubes from Zaoxiangqing

　　The Zaoxiangqing Jujube Professional Cooperative of Neihuang County was established in August 2008. It evolved from the Jujube Association of Houhe Town, Neihuang County. The cooperative has one director, one deputy director, 23 board members, and 360 members. Its mission is to “promote science and technology and serve jujube farmers.” It provides guidance to farmers on producing pollution-free jujubes, improving product quality, and also encourages the development of high-efficiency specialty agriculture and deep processing of agricultural by-products. The cooperative offers sales services for agricultural products to increase farmers’ income.

　　This cooperative is a farmer-led organization that integrates science and technology services, demonstration and promotion of new technologies, new crop varieties, and new farming models, as well as deep processing of agricultural by-products. It serves 18 towns across Neihuang, Huaxian, and Tangyin counties, benefiting over 3,000 households. The organization forms a network connecting research institutes at the top, technology demonstration households and growers in the middle, and agricultural technicians, marketing brokers, and jujube processing enterprises in between. This structure achieves the goals of revitalizing the industry through science and technology, energizing it through market demand, and enriching jujube farmers by extending the industrial chain. In 2009, the cooperative successfully established a high-efficiency specialty ecological demonstration park, further standardized the Zaoxiangqing Agricultural By-product Processing Factory, and expanded its jujube sales market to over 20 provinces and cities nationwide. The range of deep-processed jujube products grew from six to more than ten varieties. The “Zaoxiangqing” trademark was registered with the National Trademark Office, giving Neihuang jujubes their own brand. This helped form a unified production model for the Neihuang jujube industry featuring standardized pollution-free technology management, unified branding, centralized processing, and unified sales.

　　The Neihuang County Zaoxiangqing High-Efficiency Specialty Ecological Demonstration Park is located 15 kilometers south of Neihuang County — in Houhe Village, Houhe Town, one kilometer south of the town government and east of Provincial Highway Wuhuang. Established in 2008 by the Zaoxiangqing Jujube Professional Cooperative of Neihuang County, the park covers an area of 260 acres. It cultivates pollution-free jujubes, colorful sweet potatoes (purple, red, yellow, and fruit types), black peanuts, colored corn (red, black, multicolored, and white ears), as well as various uniquely shaped ornamental melons. This ecological demonstration park combines specialty planting with pollution-free jujube production. Located within the modern high-efficiency leisure agriculture golden circle planned by Anyang City, during the 2009 National Day holiday, the Zaoxiangqing Ecological Park launched a distinctive rural tourism, picking, and leisure experience program themed around “picking pollution-free jujubes, digging colorful sweet potatoes, harvesting black peanuts, tasting colored corn, strolling green corridors, and viewing uniquely shaped melons.” The park attracted over 20,000 visitors, achieving strong economic and social benefits. The completion of this ecological demonstration park has significantly boosted the production of pollution-free jujubes and the development of high-efficiency specialty agriculture in Neihuang. It has also played a positive role in enriching Neihuang’s jujube culture and developing its eco-tourism industry.

　　To increase the added value of jujubes and boost farmers’ income, the Zaoxiangqing Jujube Professional Cooperative focused on deep processing of jujubes and other agricultural by-products. In 2008, the cooperative established the Neihuang County Zaoxiangqing Agricultural By-product Processing Factory under a shareholding system. Over the past two years, the factory has enjoyed strong production and sales performance, achieving excellent economic returns.

　　With the strong support and care of party committees, governments, and relevant departments at all levels, and through the joint efforts and continuous dedication of all its members, the Zaoxiangqing Jujube Professional Cooperative of Neihuang County has made significant contributions to the healthy and rapid development of the local jujube industry. It has received multiple accolades from municipal and county authorities. In 2008, it was honored as an “Outstanding Rural Economic Professional Cooperative Organization” by the Anyang Municipal Party Committee and Government, and as an “Advanced Rural Economic Cooperative Organization” by the Neihuang County Party Committee and Government. In 2010, it was recognized as a “Henan Provincial Model Farmer Cooperative” by the Henan Provincial Department of Agriculture, and as a “National Science Popularization Demonstration Base” by the China Association for Science and Technology. In 2011, it was awarded the title of “Henan Provincial Outstanding Youth Farmer Professional Cooperative” by the Rural Affairs Office of the Henan Provincial Communist Youth League Committee. Looking ahead, the Zaoxiangqing Jujube Professional Cooperative of Neihuang County will continue to innovate and forge ahead, making its due contribution to its own development and to building a new and greater Neihuang.