Lyu Pinsheng, from Ningxia Lvtian Fruit Company, has extended the ripening season of raspberries from 30 days to a year, meeting the market's need for fresh raspberries.
The raspberries cultivated by Ningxia Lvtian Fruit Company [Photo by Su Yong and Yang Yonghui]
Walking into the 20,000-square-meter greenhouse of Ningxia Lvtian Fruit Company, which is equipped with such agricultural technologies as temperature and humidity control, the integration of water and fertilizer, and soilless cultivation, the power of science and technology and the advantages of modern agriculture are clearly demonstrated.
The raspberry cultivation workshop of Ningxia Lvtian Fruit Company [Photo by Su Yong and Yang Yonghui]
The planting of raspberries here is divided into several processes: seedling cultivation, field planting, cold storage dormancy, and greenhouse planting. Each raspberry has a 5-month growth period in the field. After about 1,000-2,000 hours of dormancy, it will be transplanted to the greenhouse. When the land is no longer suitable for the growth of raspberries due to seasonal changes, the fruits can thrive in greenhouses under the control of temperature, light, and humidity. Then, after three months, once the ripe fruits have been picked, the staff will remove them and replace them with a new batch of seedlings. In this way, seasonal restrictions affecting the cultivation of raspberries can be solved, and fresh fruits can be provided throughout the year.
The raspberries cultivated by Ningxia Lvtian Fruit Company [Photo by Su Yong and Yang Yonghui]
Speaking of the original intention of planting raspberries, Lyu Pinsheng said that there were blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries available in foreign supermarkets, but not in China. Therefore, he decided to fill this gap in the domestic market and start the cultivation of these berries.
After thorough investigation, he found that there are at least three favorable conditions for developing the raspberry industry in Ningxia, including a dry climate and sufficient sunlight, convenient transportation and excellent investment environment, and eventually settled his company here.
At present, Lyu has built a smart greenhouse covering an area of 30 mu in Xinrong village, Helan county, Yinchuan, with an outdoor soilless cultivation seedling field of 70 mu. Over 150,000 raspberries are planted each year, with an annual output of 70 tons of berries and an output value of about 6 million yuan (about $880,000). Upon the completion of the fifth phase of construction, the total investment is expected to reach 198 million yuan.