Mengjin Strawberries: A "Sweet Fruit" Fueling Rural Revitalization in Henan

Shortly after the Qingming Festival, rows of modern steel-structured greenhouses stand neatly at Xihe Strawberry Garden in Cuigou Village, Chaoyang Town, Mengjin District, Luoyang City, Henan Province. Inside the greenhouses, lush strawberry plants thrive, with bright red and plump fruits dotted among the leaves, filling the air with a sweet fragrance that lingers.

"These premium strawberries are about to be shipped to Pangdonglai Supermarket. Each one is wrapped in a protective net and carefully packaged before delivery," Hou Zelin, director of the strawberry garden, said while organizing workers to pick strawberries. Thanks to its excellent quality and unique taste, the strawberries sell at over 50 yuan per catty at the garden gate, yet remain in short supply.

According to Xinhua News Agency, Mengjin District, located on the banks of the Yellow River and the birthplace of the Hetu Luoshu culture, boasts geographical, ecological and cultural advantages for developing protected agriculture. In recent years, the district has focused on facility strawberry industry as a key driver for farmers’ income increase and regional economic development. So far, the scaled strawberry planting area has exceeded 8,000 mu, with an annual output of 12,000 tons and a full industrial chain output value of 360 million yuan, making it the largest facility strawberry production base in Luoyang.

Efforts to build the "Mengjin Strawberry" brand have paid off, with the fruit being recognized as a National Famous, Special and High-Quality Agricultural Product. "In the past, strawberries were sold by the catty for about 10 yuan; now high-end ones are sold individually, with one costing several yuan," Hou Zelin said, adding that premium strawberries bring an extra 10,000 yuan per mu compared with ordinary planting.

Technological support has been key to quality improvement. Since 2025, the Science and Technology Commissioner Service Group for Facility Characteristic Melon and Fruit Industry from Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences has settled in Mengjin. Sun Runhong, head of the service group, introduced their "mite control with mites" green prevention method, using Neoseiulus californicus to replace chemical pesticides, achieving reduced pesticide use, better quality and lower costs.

Chen Xinyu, director of Juquan Agriculture, said his base has over 50 strawberry greenhouses. With the group’s guidance, they adopted virus-free seedlings and water-fertilizer integration systems, with some varieties yielding over 5,000 jin per mu. The strawberries have become popular among major supermarkets.

The industry has also integrated agriculture and tourism. Xihe Strawberry Garden has become an internet-famous check-in spot, offering picking, parent-child activities and free tasting. It supplies strawberries directly to Hema Fresh and Pangdonglai Supermarket. By fostering hundreds of local planting experts, Mengjin has blazed a path of ecological priority, technological support and industrial integration, making strawberries a bright "red card" for rural revitalization.