Liangxin Tomatoes

Liangxin Tomatoes

　　Liangxin Tomatoes are a specialty of Echeng District, Ezhou City, Hubei Province.

　　Ezhou is embraced by the Yangtze River and bordered by Liangzi Lake, boasting fertile soil, excellent water quality, fresh air, and a well-developed industrial and commercial environment. Agriculture in the region has entered a new phase that demands improved quality and efficiency. In May 2013, the Seventh Plenary Session of the Sixth Municipal Party Committee decided that Ezhou’s agricultural development would focus on ecological agriculture. Suddenly, questions such as what the standards of ecological agriculture are, how to cultivate and raise crops in an ecological way, and what the benefits of ecological agriculture are became hot topics of discussion. In the past, ecological agriculture was merely discussed as a concept, but no one really knew how to implement it. Li Bing, the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, brought up this issue during his visit to Chi Lake Village in Yanji Town, his designated contact point. During a symposium with village cadres and villager representatives, Li Bing stated: “China’s agriculture has entered a stage where both quantity and quality are emphasized. Food safety has become a consumer trend, and growing conscientious, safe, and organic vegetables is the positioning of our Chi Lake Ecological Demonstration Site.” Subsequently, experts from the China Quality Certification Center were invited to the park to conduct comprehensive testing of the groundwater and air. The site was only finalized after confirming that all standards were met. The selected varieties had to be not only high-quality and high-yielding, but also efficient. Ultimately, the Israeli original varieties, Dinena and 8898, were chosen. These varieties are bright red, have thick flesh, offer a balanced sweet-and-sour taste, and are high in lycopene content, making them top-tier among current tomato varieties. During cultivation, the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and biological regulators is strictly prohibited. The park has collaborated with South China Agricultural University and the Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences, adopting Israeli drip irrigation, mulching for weed control, light trapping for moths, and physical pest and disease prevention techniques to ensure the entire production process is fully organic and natural. After random inspections by the China Quality Certification Center, the products were confirmed to meet organic standards, and the park obtained an organic product conversion certificate. To reassure consumers, the park has established a full-process quality control system based on production logs, ensuring traceability for every step including planting, inspection, storage, transportation, and sales. Currently, the “four major” leadership groups of Ezhou City have led the establishment of nearly 100 ecological agriculture sites for agriculture, forestry, fruit, aquaculture, and vegetables, tentatively forging a path toward ecological agriculture.