Pioneer of organic farming inspired to contribute to rural vitalization
Joe Wong, 43, from Hong Kong, works in his dragon fruit plantation in Deqing county, Guangdong province. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
Joe Wong and his workers have been busy harvesting and packing dragon fruit in Deqing county, western Guangdong province, these past few months.
The 43-year-old entrepreneur from Hong Kong Special Administrative Region often plucks one off a branch to have as part of his lunch. Thanks to hours spent outdoors, he has a deep tan.
Even if there are insects found on the fruits, I refuse to spray chemical pesticides.
Joe Wong, a 43-year-old entre-preneur from Hong Kong who works in Guangdong
"Now it is harvest time for dragon fruit and we are usually busy picking the fruit and packing them for shipment," he said.
Wong said his dragon fruit are in short supply due to their high quality and superior taste.
"My dragon fruit is organic as I never use chemical pesticides and fertilizers, so I do not worry about sales," Wong said.
"Even if there are insects found on the fruits, I refuse to spray chemical pesticides and insecticides to kill or drive them away," said Wong.
"I use garlic oil or traditional Chinese medicine to help achieve disinfestation," he said.
Although it is not a quick pest control method when compared with chemical pesticides, Wong said he wanted to "exterminate insects with insects, or kill harmful bacterium with bacterium", to achieve an organic standard, he said.
"The fruits grow a bit slower when we apply only organic fertilizer when compared with applying chemical ones. But it can achieve the effects of nature, allowing the fruits to grow in a pure, natural environment," he said.
"Meanwhile we weed manually and never spray herbicides, to let it (the plantation) reach a symbiotic state and let the fruits grow in this natural environment," he said.
The strategy aims to ensure only safe and good-tasting organic dragon fruit grows in the orchard, said Wong.
A local resident surnamed Chen said the dragon fruit Wong grows in his orchard are different from the others. They taste better, she said.
In addition to local markets, Wong's fruit is now being sold to Ningbo city in East China's Zhejiang province, he said.
Wong hopes that his fruit can be sold to Guangzhou, Shanghai and other major cities in the mainland as well as Hong Kong and Macao SARs when the crop's output increases in the future.
Wong started planting dragon fruit in Mocun township, Deqing, under the administration of Zhaoqing city, in 2019.
Wong, who used to engage in foreign trade, said the country's rural vitalization strategy made him see the bright prospects of rural agricultural development. He then decided to plant organic dragon fruit in Deqing to contribute to local economic development.
"The good investment climate in Zhaoqing, plus the good ecology and environment and the beautiful rural scenery in Deqing, have all strengthened my determination to take root in Zhaoqing to start a business," Wong said in an interview with China Daily.
Wong said he was supported by local government departments, particularly the Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan affairs bureau of Deqing county when he began.
The local governments have helped solve many problems, he said. "The road to my orchard, which was built on a rural mountain, was still impassable at that time," according to Wong.
The local government quickly sent an investigative group to the scene and started paving the road to make it easier for us to reach the orchard, he said.
"I found the local government very supportive of small business entrepreneurs here in Zhaoqing, and special technicians and personnel were sent to the orchard regularly to have a look and give their guidance on planting fruit," he said.
The mainland is now enjoying a rapid economic growth, providing myriad development opportunities to entrepreneurs from China's Hong Kong and Macao.
Wong believes that, with the support of the local government and various preferential policies, more youths from the two Chinese SARs will be attracted and encouraged to start businesses in Zhaoqing.
He plans to share organic planting technology with local farmers to help them increase their incomes.
Wong also paid tribute to his family who supported him in his plan to plant dragon fruit and start a business in Deqing.
Lian Keyin contributed to this story
