Sweet Strawberries Grown by the Sea in Qigu — Huang Dengzhu Hopes to Boost Local Tourism

The Qigu area suffers from water scarcity, strong winds, and saline conditions. Local farmer Huang Dengzhu has overcome these challenges to grow large, bright red strawberries. In the future, he plans to strengthen breeding efforts and also introduce the cultivation of Japan’s white strawberries. (Photo by Chuang Yaocong)

The Qigu area suffers from water scarcity, strong winds, and saline conditions. Local farmer Huang Dengzhu has overcome these challenges to grow large, bright red strawberries. He hopes to create a cluster effect, making Tainan home to yet another strawberry-producing region. (Photo by Chuang Yaocong)

When it comes to strawberry picking in Tainan, many think of the farms around Shanhua. But in Qigu, known for its coastal aquaculture, some have overcome unfavorable soil, water, and climate conditions to successfully grow glistening red strawberries. These have gained a reputation online, and with the recent peak harvest season, many visitors have flocked to the fields.

Huang Dengzhu originally ran a business elsewhere. Over a decade ago, he returned home to accompany his mother and purchased a 200-ping plot of land near his house. At first, he grew vegetables and cherry tomatoes, and seven years ago, he started cultivating strawberries. More than two years ago, he expanded operations. With assistance from the local district office, he leased nearly 2 fen of idle farmland beside Provincial Highway 17 to grow strawberries. Recently entering peak production, the farm is open to the public for picking on weekends, attracting large crowds. Many are amazed that such large, sweet strawberries can be grown by the sea.

Huang Dengzhu said that during the first four years of switching to strawberry farming, he was clueless and essentially paid his dues. Coupled with the challenges of water scarcity, strong winds, and saline soil in the coastal area, both yield and quality were far from ideal. He traveled multiple times to Dahu in Miaoli to learn cultivation techniques from local farmers. Eventually, he settled on a high-raised cultivation method, which saves 80% of the labor compared to conventional soil planting. To better understand toxin-free cultivation, his wife, Guo Jinyan, even quit her job at a bank to work at a fertilizer company and learn related knowledge. After much trial and error, they finally harvested sweet fruit this year.

Currently, Huang Dengzhu has a total planting area of 600 ping in Qigu, with over 10,000 strawberry plants. Varieties such as “Fengxiang,” “Mixiang,” “Xiangshui,” and “Falan Di” can all be found in the garden. He has also imported 200 rare white strawberry plants from Japan, each with unique aromas and flavors. In the future, he also plans to develop his own breeds, hoping to cultivate strawberries that are unique to southern Taiwan.