Transformed lives bloom on yellow flower biz boom

Young people have been flocking back to their native place Datong in Shanxi province to exploit business opportunities spawned by the vibrant growth of the citron daylily industry.

For instance, Zhang Wei, who was born in the 1980s and studied in Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi, decided to return to his home village Tangjiabao in 2021. That year, he participated in the village's elections and was appointed as head of the villagers committee.

"At that time, many people around me couldn't understand why I would give up the glitz of the big city to return to a small village. Besides sentimental attachment to my homeland, I saw more opportunities for the development of the local citron daylily industry," Zhang said.

Tangjiabao village has a long tradition of planting such yellow flowers. Currently, the village has a total land area of over 353 hectares, with around 267 hectares dedicated to citron daylily cultivation. Almost all of its 412 households are involved in planting, cultivation or business related to the yellow flowers.

Zhang's first challenge upon taking office was to promote the transition of citron daylily cultivation from a cottage industry to industrial-scale development. The path of reform was not without challenges. Zhang said that gaining the trust of the villagers was the first hurdle.

"Initially, many measures may not have been understood by the villagers, but as they experienced tangible benefits and conveniences, they became actively involved, offering suggestions and working together to expand and strengthen the industry."

Currently, Tangjiabao village has mechanized various processes such as weeding, fertilization and soil moisture monitoring, and smart agriculture techniques are widely applied in the village's citron daylily cultivation. This has significantly increased efficiency, leading to a rise in the average annual disposable income per capita in Tangjiabao from 9,800 yuan ($1,383) in 2020 to 17,500 yuan last year.

In recent years, Zhang has also organized officials to visit other cities for study tours. Apart from increasing income from citron daylily cultivation and picking, they are actively expanding the industry chain to generate more revenue streams.

In the second half of 2022, the village began constructing the "Forget Worries Township", which officially opened for operation in July this year. In addition to sightseeing, the program offers activities like educational tours, flower picking and rural homestays. This year, the Tangjiabao has also expanded entertainment activities like building a "music road" and a shared campsite located in the south of the village.

"We hope that the cultural and tourism industry in the village, centered around citron daylily, can form a chain to attract more visitors to stay longer," Zhang said.

Pang Ershun, born in the 1990s, is now general manager of Datong Sanli Group, one of the city's largest agricultural companies. Taking over the family business from his father, Pang often feels the weight of responsibility.

"My grandfather and father were agricultural managers. In the 1990s, they collected citron daylilies, traveled across the country, and sold them to food makers and supermarkets. From planting on a family scale to industrial-scale farming, they witnessed the growth and strengthening of the citron daylily industry in Datong."

Today, Datong Sanli Group has four factories, establishing a complete citron daylily industry chain that includes procurement, processing, research and development, logistics, electronic warehousing and tourism.

"We are currently developing new products like citron daylily tea and beer, while also expanding sales channels for traditional products like dried flowers, citron daylily sauce, cakes and beverages. For instance, we are exploring livestreaming, and maintaining and expanding relationships with large supermarkets," Pang said.

The group has recruited a professional livestreaming team. They go live around 7 pm every evening for about two hours. The annual sales revenue from livestreaming can reach around 6 million yuan.

"For me, as a new-era farmer-turned-businessman, I think we need to embody the patience and endurance of the older generation, delve into the fields, while also learning to innovate, to propel industrialization of agriculture," Pang said.