Greenhouse Farming Drives Rural Revitalisation in Kaifeng’s Xiangfu District

Early morning in Qiulou Town, Xiangfu District of Kaifeng City, sees a bustling scene unfolding across local vegetable farms. Villagers gather at greenhouse sites to start daily field work, as modern protected agriculture continues to energise rural economic growth and steady household income growth in the region.

Modern greenhouse cultivation has become a core pillar of local rural development. Established in 2022, Cuixia Vegetable Planting Farm operates 30 solar greenhouses and adopts a mature company-plus-farming-household operational model. The farm provides standardized seedlings for participating growers, conducts daily sugar content testing for ripe produce, and offers unified purchasing, packaging and distribution services for major supermarkets and urban farm markets. Standardised planting and stable sales channels have lifted per mu net income of melon and fruit crops to over ten thousand yuan.

The industrial model brings tangible benefits to local residents. Local villagers secure stable local employment with flexible working schedules, earning steady salaries while taking care of family affairs. Independent growers also gain robust returns through staggered planting schedules. Multiple greenhouses growing tomatoes, edamame and sweet corn enable off-season supply to meet strong market demand, with premium pricing and pre-order sales effectively securing farmers’ annual profits.

Xiangfu District’s booming protected agriculture builds on decades of local planting traditions. Baiqiu Village started developing greenhouse vegetable cultivation back in 2000. Sustained policy support has upgraded agricultural infrastructure and expanded planting scales steadily. The village now hosts more than 80 high-standard solar greenhouses for diverse vegetable and fruit crops, forming a solid foundation for large-scale and standardised agricultural production.

The village’s progress represents the broader agricultural upgrade across Xiangfu District. The district currently runs over 4,600 solar greenhouses covering more than 5,000 mu of cultivated land. Local authorities optimise agricultural structures, promote precision irrigation and scientific fertilisation, and advance standardised production systems. These measures stabilise urban vegetable supply, improve agricultural efficiency and underpin sustainable rural revitalisation.

Local industrial upgrading will continue to advance in the coming period. A specialised crop planting cooperative has been set up in Baiqiu Village to incorporate more local farmers into industrial development. The region will focus on building distinctive agricultural brands, upgrading product quality standards and consolidating stable marketing networks. Continuous optimisation of the modern farming system will further expand local agricultural industrial advantages and deliver long-term income growth for rural households.