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Surplus land helps farmers boost income
By Shen Qing and Dong Yiying |
November 29, 2010, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
IN the past two years, 38 families in the Jiading Industrial Zone have increased their incomes by farming parcels of land that are surplus to industrial use. About 40 hectares have been planted in corn.
"The reason why we choose corn to plant is because it doesn't need much fertilizing or irrigation," said Shen Jianqi, director of the Agriculture Office of the zone.
Villager Wang Rongbao has a contract to farm just over 1 hectare of the idled land. He said he had earned an extra 30,000 yuan (US$4,760) from his first crop of corn. "The second harvest will be a little lower, but I can still earn 20,000 yuan," said Wang.
The idle land not only involves scattered ones around the housing or those alongside factory and office buildings, but also the land waiting for development. A 4.3-hectare parcel between Jiabao Forest and the Hailun Community is targeted for future development, but until that happens, the land has been plowed up and planted with corn. Similar planting has occurred on a 15-hectare site on both sides of the administrative council of the Jiading Industrial Zone.
The Agriculture Office of Jiading Industrial Zone has set up a corn cooperatives to make maximum use of the idle land and help them earn more money. The cooperative provides free seeds and give technical assistance to farmers who need it. The corn stalks, once harvested, are sold to cattle farms. That offsets the cost of seed.
Shanghai Zhongyu Food Co works in tandem with the cooperative. It purchases corn at 1.6 yuan per kilogram and sells it at 3 yuan per ear. After packaging costs, the company still makes a tidy profit from its processing operation.
"The reason why we choose corn to plant is because it doesn't need much fertilizing or irrigation," said Shen Jianqi, director of the Agriculture Office of the zone.
Villager Wang Rongbao has a contract to farm just over 1 hectare of the idled land. He said he had earned an extra 30,000 yuan (US$4,760) from his first crop of corn. "The second harvest will be a little lower, but I can still earn 20,000 yuan," said Wang.
The idle land not only involves scattered ones around the housing or those alongside factory and office buildings, but also the land waiting for development. A 4.3-hectare parcel between Jiabao Forest and the Hailun Community is targeted for future development, but until that happens, the land has been plowed up and planted with corn. Similar planting has occurred on a 15-hectare site on both sides of the administrative council of the Jiading Industrial Zone.
The Agriculture Office of Jiading Industrial Zone has set up a corn cooperatives to make maximum use of the idle land and help them earn more money. The cooperative provides free seeds and give technical assistance to farmers who need it. The corn stalks, once harvested, are sold to cattle farms. That offsets the cost of seed.
Shanghai Zhongyu Food Co works in tandem with the cooperative. It purchases corn at 1.6 yuan per kilogram and sells it at 3 yuan per ear. After packaging costs, the company still makes a tidy profit from its processing operation.
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