Golden opportunity

Tang built more than 100 basic greenhouses, all covered with plastic sheets, and hired 20-odd villagers to help him till the land. It was plain sailing and he made an annual profit of over 320,000 yuan in the first couple of years. "But I knew there was more that needed to be done," he says.

Villagers still had to fertilize the land manually, causing wastage and pollution. Also, his greenhouse cluster was not great in terms of thermal insulation. Thus, in 2008, Tang adopted the drip irrigation system to ensure efficient use of fertilizers and to ease farm operations.

In 2016, the local authorities launched the "beautiful countryside program". Roads were paved to connect all major points in the village, toilets were upgraded for a cleaner environment, and a tourist center, a farm museum and parking zones were built.

Tang saw the tourist influx as a golden opportunity. He expanded the range of his produce to cover red dragon fruits, kiwis, strawberries, cherry tomatoes and mulberries. "As I had hoped, tourists made their way to my farm, asking if they could buy my fruit," he says.

Gauging the market potential, Tang invested in infrastructure upgrades in 2017.

He erected "multi-span greenhouses" that were five times more expensive, but allowed smart temperature control and offered better resistance to extreme weather, such as blizzards and gales. "These structures automatically open up when it is too hot and close when it is too cold."

Tang has managed to nurture 17 tropical fruits that have proved to be popular in the market. Years of learning has helped him deliver a three-dimensional eco-planting and breeding system, in which he raises fowl under the fruit trees.

A financial and ecological marvel, his farm draws visitors from far and wide. "I receive more than 100 guests daily during spring and autumn. Most of them come from downtown Jiaxing, Hangzhou and Shanghai," he says.