Specialised Crops Drive Revitalisation in Fengqiu County, Henan Through Scaled, Market-Focused Agriculture

Per Xinhua News dispatches, industrial prosperity stands as the solid foundation of rural revitalisation. As wheat harvesting concludes and summer tillage progresses across mid-summer landscapes, Fengqiu County in Henan Province leverages its unique local soil and climatic resources to refine agricultural industrial structures. Targeted development of cash crops including peanuts, mugwort and premium melons delivers scaled, standardised and market-oriented production, turning small-scale crops into lucrative livelihood industries and unlocking fresh momentum for rural development.

Extensive specialised peanut cultivation stretches across rural plots, with consistent high yields anticipated for the coming harvest. Integrated mechanical summer sowing equipment operates non-stop across contiguous farmland in Youfang Village, Pandian Town, completing trenching, seed placement, fertilisation, plastic film covering and drip irrigation pipe laying in a single continuous pass. Local farmers conduct regular field maintenance to preserve optimal soil moisture, keeping all summer cultivation workflows orderly and efficient.

Benefiting from loose, breathable sandy loam soil native to the region, the village collective economic co-operative has consolidated 550 mu of transferred land to grow high-quality summer peanuts on a concentrated scale. Resilient high-yield cultivars including Huayu series and Luhua No.8 are widely adopted, alongside standardised ridge planting, precision seeding and formulated fertiliser application techniques. Full mechanisation drastically lifts farming efficiency; a single sowing unit covers forty to fifty mu each day, delivering even seed distribution and uniform seedling emergence. Peanut yields exceed 1,300 jin per mu, generating an extra 2,000 yuan of income per mu for participating households. The co-operative also implements forward contracting with pre-agreed off-take channels established before planting commences, eliminating persistent sales risks for growers. Total peanut cultivation acreage in Youfang Village now surpasses 1,000 mu, transforming fragmented individual plots into a unified pillar industry that delivers steady household income growth.

Specialised medicinal herb cultivation has emerged as a fast-expanding sector, injecting fresh momentum into rural industrial restructuring. Wide stretches of mugwort plantations fill farmland in Wangwan Village, Zhaogang Town, releasing a distinct herbal fragrance that creates a unique income-generating rural landscape. Local village committees identified constrained returns from conventional grain cultivation and guided villagers to trial mugwort, a versatile cash crop characterised by strong environmental adaptability, straightforward maintenance and stable market demand. Mugwort carries dual food and medicinal applications, with robust consumption across wellness, daily chemical and moxibustion sectors. The crop supports multiple harvest cycles each year, suffers minimal pest infestation and carries low cultivation costs, delivering far higher comprehensive returns than staple grains.

Demonstration plots, shared technical experience and unified sales channels encourage more villagers to join collective mugwort production. The medicinal herb sector expands steadily year on year, establishing itself as an emerging core income stream for local residents.

Greenhouses operated by Jinshan Planting Co-operative in Zhaogang Town bear heavy clusters of ripe premium watermelons. Two top-grade varieties, Mengyuan and Huang Guifei, thrive under controlled growing conditions, with plump, aromatic fruit hanging thick across climbing vines. The base follows refined, standardised eco-friendly cultivation protocols, relying on favourable local water and soil conditions for precise crop management. Stable yields range between 6,000 and 6,500 jin per mu, with thin rinds, abundant juice and sweet flesh securing steady market demand.

Whole industrial development creates local employment opportunities that deliver income without long-distance migration. The growing base maintains year-round labour vacancies for nearby villagers, with participating workers earning an average of over 3,000 yuan each month. Residents balance household care with stable wage earnings, translating local agricultural resources into tangible improvements to living standards.

Compact specialised crop sectors underpin comprehensive rural advancement. Agricultural authorities across Fengqiu County will continue to capitalise on native natural endowments to deepen development of distinctive farming industries. Cultivation scales for high-value crops will keep expanding, while the established co-operative-farmer-market operational framework will be refined. Supply and distribution chains will be reinforced, industrial value chains extended and brand recognition for local speciality produce strengthened. Continuous quality and efficiency upgrades across diversified agricultural segments sustain industrial prosperity as the backbone of holistic rural revitalisation.

Agricultural technical teams will roll out updated standardised cultivation guidelines for peanuts, mugwort and melon varieties, alongside expanded mechanised farming support services. Marketing divisions will broaden national distribution networks for county specialities, while co-operatives will develop deeper downstream primary processing capacity to lift the market value of locally grown crops year on year.