Modern farming boosts vegetable supply, rural incomes

At a high-standard vegetable production base in Shuitou village, Shidong township, Xifeng county, rows of greenhouses stretch across the fields, with clusters of peppers hanging from the vines. Villagers move between the rows, picking peppers, while sorting and packaging operations proceed in an orderly manner, preparing fresh produce for shipment to markets near and far.

Mature peppers are picked by a worker at the base. [Photo/WeChat account of Guiyang State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission]

The Xifeng base is an important vegetable supply project developed with the participation of State-owned Guiyang Agricultural Investment Group (GAIG). Covering an area of 4,417 mu (295 hectares), the park is equipped with 666 high-standard greenhouses.

It currently has 2,066 mu of vegetable cultivation, including 1,693 mu dedicated to peppers. Daily shipments average around 51 metric tons, supplying markets in Guizhou province as well as Chongqing, Sichuan, and Guangdong. The current pepper harvest is expected to continue through November, generating an estimated output value of about 36 million yuan ($5 million).

Beyond strengthening the local food supply, the base is creating more opportunities for rural residents to increase their incomes. Under a partnership model linking GAIG, district- and county-level platform companies, village collective economic cooperatives, and farmers, the project has expanded channels for local employment and income growth.

During the peak harvest season, 200 to 300 nearby villagers can find work at the base each day. From 2020 to 2025, the project paid over 53 million yuan in labor compensation.

Workers package newly-picked peppers to transport to markets. [Photo/WeChat account of Guiyang State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission]

The base has also adopted modern farming practices, including integrated water and fertilizer management, grafted seedling cultivation, and year-round crop-and-mushroom rotation, improving land utilization and agricultural productivity.