Cabbage produced in county in C China's Hubei makes its way to global market

Located near the Yangtze River, Jiayu county in Xianning city, central China's Hubei Province has been prosperous with abundant resources since ancient times. In the 1980s, this small town began developing its vegetable industry, and today, it has become a well-known vegetable base in China. In 2023, Jiayu was officially named "China's Cabbage Town."

Photo shows thriving cabbages in fields in Panjiawan town, Jiayu county, Xianning city, central China's Hubei Province. (Photo/Zheng Ziyan)

Jiayu county is blessed with ideal soil and climate conditions for growing cool-season vegetables. With 33 lakes of different sizes, the county has a total irrigation and drainage area of 314,000 mu (20,933.33 hectares).

Panjiawan town is the largest vegetable production hub in the county. Contiguous fields covering about 27,000 mu in the town produce 210,000 tonnes of fresh vegetables annually, earning the nickname "vegetable corridor" from locals.

Photo shows the "vegetable corridor" in Panjiawan town, Jiayu county, Xianning city, central China's Hubei Province. (Photo/Zheng Ziyan)

Photo shows thriving cabbages in fields in Panjiawan town, Jiayu county, Xianning city, central China's Hubei Province. (Photo/Zheng Ziyan)

With only about 10 days left until the cabbage is ready for market, the farmers are busy loosening the soil and removing weeds. Equally busy are the "cabbage brokers."

A farmer works in a vegetable field in Panjiawan town, Jiayu county, Xianning city, central China's Hubei Province. (Photo/Zheng Ziyan)

Liu Zhaohui, a planting technician in Panjiawan, explains that "cabbage brokers" act as a bridge between the market and farmers. As soon as the seeds are planted, the brokers begin contacting farmers to purchase the vegetables. They are responsible for everything from harvesting and packaging to transporting and selling the produce. In Panjiawan, there are about 300 brokers working together to sell vegetables further and more effectively.

"In the past, vegetables were limited to reaching only the downtown area of Xianning city. Thanks to the "cabbage brokers", the vegetables now have wider distribution both within the country and overseas, and are even being sold on live-streaming platforms. This has not only broadened the sales avenues for farmers but has also boosted their incomes," said Liu.

Photo shows an aerial view of the "vegetable corridor" in Panjiawan town, Jiayu county, Xianning city, central China's Hubei Province. (Photo/Zheng Ziyan)

Ye Xiangsong, a farmer with 40 years of experience, said that he can earn an annual income of approximately 200,000 yuan (about $27,630) by cultivating cabbage, which is at least 10 times more profitable than growing cotton.

The cabbage variety cultivated in Panjiawan town was created through a collaboration between a team headed by Fang Zhiyuan, an academician from the Chinese Academy of Engineering and an agricultural development company in Hubei in 2018. This variety, known for its disease and cold resistance, has become a popular choice for winter cabbage cultivation in the Yangtze River basin.

Today, eight vegetables grown in the "vegetable corridor" are certified as green food by China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and "Jiayu cabbage" is a nationally recognized geographical indication (GI) product. Jiayu county has 64 vegetable cooperatives and two marketing associations. The vegetable industry provides local farmers with an average income of 16,000 yuan per capita.

With a vegetable planting area of 290,000 mu and an annual vegetable output of 1.27 million tonnes, Jiayu county is one of the four major vegetable supply bases for Wuhan, the provincial capital of Hubei. Jiayu vegetables are popular nationwide and exported to countries such as Japan, South Korea, Russia, and Canada.