The concentrated harvest began on September 23 for 12,000 mu (about 800 hectares) of highland summer vegetables at the Shandan Horse Farm in Shandan County, Zhangye, in Northwest China's Gansu province.
Fields of baby cabbages stretch across the area under the Qilian Mountains, where farmers are currently picking, sorting, and loading produce into refrigerated trucks stationed at the fields.
Crops such as baby cabbage, broccoli, and fruit celery are cultivated at an altitude of 2,500 meters and irrigated with snowmelt from the Qilian Mountains. The baby cabbage is tightly packed and weighs over 0.6 kilograms each, with yields averaging about 7,000 heads per mu. Fruit celery is described as low-fiber and sells for three to five times the price of ordinary celery, with strong demand in major cities.
Water supply is managed through drip irrigation systems, which cut water use by more than 40 per cent compared to traditional methods while maintaining crop growth and supporting the local environment.
The order-based agricultural model ensures that fresh vegetables can be delivered to dining tables in more than 20 provinces within 48 hours. The harvest is also driving related industries, including packaging and cold-chain logistics.
Source: ChinaDaily