Economy

Fresh veggies, straight from the farm

By Wu Wencong (China Daily)
Updated: 2011-05-17 15:33

Liang Jianping, a 46-year-old farmer from Daxing district, helps a resident select celery at his booth at a community in Fengtai district. [Photo/China Daily]

A trial distribution system that aims to deliver cheap produce to Beijing communities is proving popular with shoppers

It is 8:20 in the morning, and Liang Jianping is busy tidying up his small vegetable booth at the gate of the second community of Yulin Dongli, in Fengtai district.

Residents from the community pass by and most stop to ask Liang when the truck carrying today's fresh vegetables will arrive.

Yuan Hongqin, a resident who needs some celery decides to sit and wait near the stall. Yuan says she likes to shop at Liang's stall because all its vegetables are freshly picked.

"Vegetables are collected every day," said the woman in her 60s. "And the farmers don't spread water on the surface to make them look good, like people do in supermarkets."

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At about 9:15 am, a small tri-truck loaded with about 20 types of vegetables pulls up. In less than a minute, shoppers swarm around the stall.

Half an hour later, 70-year-old Zhang Weihua buys the last few tomatoes.

"Tomatoes are sold at 7 yuan a kilogram in the closest supermarket, but they are only 5 yuan here; not to mention I have to walk 40 minutes to reach the supermarket," she said.

About 300 kg of vegetables are delivered to the booth each morning and all will be sold before 5 pm, according to 46-year-old Liang.

"Normally there are at least three resellers between farmers and consumers," he said. "There are dealers who collect vegetables from farmers, Xinfadi - the largest agricultural products wholesale market - and supermarkets."

Liang said by setting up a booth in the community not only do consumers save money, but also he earns about 0.6 yuan more for each kilogram than he would by selling to dealers.

The residents in this community in Fengtai district have been able to buy fresh vegetables without leaving their area for the past month. In that time, the trial system, which connects farmers and consumers directly, has been so popular that business has doubled.

Lu Wanhua, secretary of the community, introduced the trial to reduce the distance between farmers and consumers to the minimum.

"We have done experiments on a few types of vegetables and the amount of pesticide used was below the national standard. But spinach and cabbage bought from the supermarket did not pass the test," she said.

Lu took 30 residents' representatives with her to Liang's farm in Daxing district on Monday morning.