中国·福州——热爱城市从热爱美食开始

Farmers in Xishan Village, Jiangtian Town, were busy harvesting potatoes. (Photo by Reporter Bao Hua)

Growing potatoes in the southern region is no easy feat. In mid-March, the Lifeng Agricultural Cooperative in Jiangtian Town, Changle District, Fuzhou, enjoyed a bumper harvest from its 1,000-mu potato field. These potatoes are large and plump, with some “potato giants” weighing as much as 1.6 kilograms, challenging the common belief that southern potatoes are small. What’s even more impressive is that the yield per mu has risen by over 1,000 kilograms compared to three years ago. So, how did they pull this off?

Seeking the Best Local Potato Varieties

The yield has exceeded 3,700 kilograms per mu, which is a pleasant surprise for Chen Ying.

Chen Ying, head of Lifeng Agricultural Cooperative, planted over 1,000 mu of potatoes this spring. When the reporter visited, staff from the agricultural departments at both the city and district levels were on-site, ready with their toolkits to measure the yield.

After selecting the spot, measuring the area, weighing, and calculating... when the results came in, Chen Ying couldn’t wait to share the good news: “I had a rough estimate, but I didn’t expect the yield to be even higher than anticipated!” He recalled that just a few years ago, the best yield for potatoes was only 2,450 kilograms per mu. In just three or four years, the average yield per mu had increased by more than 1,000 kilograms.

What’s the secret? “The key is good varieties,” Chen Ying said with confidence.

Chen Ying’s family has been growing potatoes for nearly 20 years. They started with the “Zihua 851” variety from Keshan County in Heilongjiang and later switched to the popular “Xingjia No. 2.” Their potato farm had always relied on seeds imported from other provinces. “Northern varieties often struggle to adapt to the local soil and climate. Some would perform well initially, but over time, their growth would decline. Eventually, diseases would set in, and yields would drop significantly,” Chen Ying said.

He was frustrated by this and hoped to find a high-quality, locally adapted, and original variety.

By chance, Chen Ying learned that the Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences was focusing on potato breeding. He reached out to seek collaboration. Starting with “Minshu No. 1,” new locally bred varieties such as the Minshu series, Minlongshu, and Mincaishu took root at the Lifeng Agricultural base, gradually becoming the dominant varieties.

“Minshu No. 12” is one of our main varieties this year, and it’s doing exceptionally well. The potatoes are large and yield abundantly,” Chen Ying said excitedly.

Today, the pattern of “northern potatoes grown in the south” is gradually changing. Thanks to breakthroughs in potato breeding across the province, high-quality “southern potato” varieties are steadily emerging, and an increasing number of potatoes planted come from local sources.

Exploring New Planting Techniques

Choosing the right variety is half the battle. But what about the other half? For Chen Ying and the local agricultural departments, the challenges are far from over.

Changle is one of the key potato-producing areas in Fujian. The main farming practice in the region is to plant potatoes in winter, followed by a rice crop in the summer and fall. Since China launched the strategy to promote potatoes as a staple food in 2015, the focus has shifted to refining farming practices and adopting more scientific planting techniques.

Chen Ying’s father, Chen Guoping, is a seasoned farmer with over two decades of experience. A true “old hand” in the field, he possesses a wealth of knowledge but can be a bit set in his ways. When agricultural technicians came to promote the new “soil testing and fertilization” method, he simply shook his head and flatly rejected it, saying, “Not necessary.”

Soil conditions directly affect crop yields. In the past, Chen Guoping typically relied on a “three-element balanced compound fertilizer,” with a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium ratio that seemed like a universal solution. However, practice has shown that this formula is far from one-size-fits-all.

“Changle’s soil is not deficient in phosphorus, and potatoes have a preference for potassium. If we don’t tailor the fertilization to the land, not only will potato yields be constrained, but over time, soil fertility will also be impacted,” said Lin Changzhi, head of the Agricultural Technology Section in Changle District. To promote more effective fertilization techniques, they set up the test field right next to Chen Guoping’s land. After ridging and planting, they applied a high-potassium compound fertilizer with potassium sulfate. After two or three years of continuous planting, both the yield and quality showed clear improvements. Chen Guoping was fully convinced.

From soil improvement to the combined use of ridge planting and plastic film mulching, Lifeng’s ongoing efforts have resulted in a steady annual increase in average potato yield per mu. This progress has also led to significant gains in both the quality and yield of potatoes throughout the entire district.

Building on the existing foundation, the planting model has continued to evolve—Changle has gradually established an efficient grain production system of “single-season rice—regenerated rice—potatoes.” “The paddy-upland rotation effectively boosts the cropping index. By planting a season of regenerated rice two to three months after the mechanical harvest of the first rice crop, it’s like achieving three harvests in one year, securing control over our food supply,” said Lin Changzhi.

The remarkable results have not only drawn experts from the national potato industry for research and exchanges, but have also sparked a rush among local farmers eager to grow potatoes. In 2024, the city’s total potato planting area reached 170,600 mu, with a total yield of 53,790 tons.

Machinery Fuels Development

Once the yield improved, Chen Ying wasn’t satisfied with just that. He has big plans for the future: he hopes to make a mark along the industry chain and see southern potatoes secure a strong presence in the national market.

How will he achieve this? This dark-skinned “post-90s” young farmer decided to seek some help.

He stood on the ridge. The potato harvesters rumbled in the distance, busy harvesting the crop. As they moved along, plump, perfectly shaped potatoes tumbled out of the soil. “We’ve modified these mid-sized harvesters ourselves, and they work well here, significantly boosting harvesting efficiency,” Chen Ying said.

Over the years, Chen Ying has actively studied advanced agricultural practices and furthered his education, earning a bachelor’s degree from Sichuan Agricultural University. This continuous learning has kept him open to new technologies and equipment, always following the principle of “bold experimentation, cautious verification.”

Under his leadership, Lifeng Agricultural Cooperative acquired more than 30 sets of farming equipment, offering full-process mechanized services—from plowing and planting to pest control and harvesting—for nearby farmlands. In just one year, they served a total of 20,000 mu. In addition, the cooperative has established large-scale facilities, including a farming machinery storage warehouse, an IoT-enabled cold storage, and a sorting center. The freshly harvested potatoes are washed, sorted, and packaged before being shipped to cities such as Fuzhou, Shanghai, and Jiangsu, reaching consumers’ tables the very next day. (Fuzhou Daily Reporters: Lan Yuping, Xie Xingxing)