Tongzhou district in Nantong, Jiangsu province, has been steadily advancing the modernization of agriculture through village-enterprise cooperation.

The intelligent tomato greenhouse in Tongzhou‘s Chengdong village serves as a prime example. It has emerged as a beneficiary of the agricultural tourism industry.

Construction of the tomato production base began in 2023, spanning 110 mu (7.33 hectares) with an investment exceeding 5 million yuan ($690,750). The greenhouses also utilize integrated irrigation and fertilization systems, with the village customizing various small-scale automated agricultural machinery specifically for greenhouse cultivation.

Nantong Yuehe Agricultural Technology Co Ltd brings over 20 years of extensive planting experience and has meticulously selected six domestic and international varieties of cherry tomatoes, strawberry tomatoes, and ice cream tomatoes with excellent market reputation and high profitability for cultivation.

In addition to selling agricultural products online and offline, the base is open to the public, attracting nearby visitors for picking activities.

Supported by the district and streets as a major part of the demonstration project, facilities such as parking lots and scenic roads have been constructed, alongside environmental improvements and river dredging in the surrounding area.

"Through the village-enterprise cooperation model, we provide the land, while the enterprise contributes technology, jointly creating a win-win situation. The entire base can bring in over 400,000 yuan in annual income for our village collective," said Tu Xiaojian, Party secretary of Chengdong village.

Looking ahead, Chengdong village plans to expand the scope of the base to the surrounding areas, attracting more farmers to participate in cultivation and further promoting the integration of agriculture, culture, and tourism.

Tomatoes produced by the intelligent tomato greenhouse in Tongzhou’s Chengdong village. [Photo/www.ntjoy.com]