Rudong county in Nantong, Jiangsu province, has made significant progress in the production and sale of broccoli in recent years.

For example, the Rudong branch of the Jiangsu Coastal Agricultural Development Co Ltd has cultivated a cold and salt-resistant broccoli variety that can thrive in saline-alkali soil.

Proudly commenting on benefits reaped from the achievement, Shi Liang, manager of the production management department, said, "We have just completed a major harvest of broccoli grown in saline-alkali fields, with a yield exceeding 2,000 kilograms per mu (about 666.67 square meters). Harvesting started in early November last year and will continue until February this year."

Building on autonomy in broccoli seed breeding, the company has developed a green pest control technology route, combining disease-resistant varieties, intensive seedling cultivation, physical trapping, biological control, and efficient, low-toxicity chemical pesticide control.

Shi mentioned, "Our comprehensive pest control effectiveness is now over 90 percent. Compared to only 1,600 kilograms per mu in the first year after soil improvement, our yields have improved year by year."

As a subsidiary of the Jiangsu Coastal Agricultural Development Co Ltd, Jiangsu Gengyang Food Co Ltd plays a crucial role in the broccoli sales process in Rudong. Its broccoli undergoes refrigeration and processing on company premises before being sold to European and American countries such as France and Belgium.

According to Huang Xiaohua, the deputy general manager of Gengyang, company employees package broccoli according to customer requirements, offering one or half-kilogram packs. Domestic sales focus on food processing enterprises and central kitchens, with an expected revenue of 90 million yuan ($12.51 million) this year.

Staff members work on processing broccoli at Jiangsu Gengyang Food Co Ltd. [Photo/Nantong Daily]