Introduction of Taiwan papaya from Chaozhou, Guangdong

In the papaya ecological garden in Wunei Village, Ximei District, Guihu Town, Chaoan County, Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province, papaya trees about two meters high are connected into a green patch, and the fruit hangs down the trunk like a string of firecrackers. It is understood that these papayas are new varieties introduced from Taiwan around the Qingming Festival in 2015, giving Wen Xiangteng, who was planted for the first time, a bumper harvest.

[reclaim wasteland and try to grow Taiwan papaya]

Wen Xiangteng, 37, has been farming for more than a decade, growing bayberry and olives and raising two ponds of fish in Wunei Village, Ximei District, Guihu Town. In 2014, Wen Xiangteng began to pay attention to a large area of wasteland near his fish pond. "what a nice piece of land, but it's a pity that it is overgrown with weeds. It would be nice if it could be used to grow something." Wen Xiangteng told the reporter that just when he was at a loss, he was enlightened by a suggestion from a friend. The friend suggested that we might as well introduce a new variety of papaya from Taiwan to try it out.

As soon as he said it, Wen Xiangteng began to run around, asking for methods and experience from farmers growing papaya in Linzhen, and invited experts to study the wasteland to see if it was suitable for growing papaya. "this preparatory phase alone took three months, but it was all worth it." Wen Xiangteng dealt with the wasteland, digging holes and burying farm manure to prepare for the cultivation of papaya.

[carefully cultivated 100 jin of pickable melons from each tree]

Around the Qingming Festival in 2015, Wen Xiangteng began to try out a new variety of papaya introduced from Taiwan in the village head of Wunii Village, with a total of more than 1000 plants. Wen Xiangteng insists on using mountain spring water to irrigate melon seedlings and actively control diseases and insect pests. "the control of fruit flies is the most important, but do not spray pesticides, otherwise the fruit will not be pollution-free quality." He pointed to a yellow sticker hanging from the papaya tree and told the reporter that he used this "melon fruit fly viscose board" in each seedling, which could catch many fruit flies without harming the quality of papaya, safe and environmentally friendly.

In October 2015, more than 1000 papaya trees finally bore fruit, and the papaya ecological park was born. According to Wen Xiangteng, the period from October to December is the best time for papaya to grow. The reporter saw that strings of papaya hung on the tree trunk, very large, smooth skin, cut to see orange-red pulp, taste very sweet. "according to the current growth situation, each tree can pick more than 100 jin of papaya in 2015." Wen Xiangteng predicts that the output of papaya may double in 2016.

[demand falls short of supply to attract citizens to pick melons for fun]

"since October, people come to pick papaya every day, especially on weekends, where there are the most people." According to Wen Xiangteng, at present, he has opened a sales channel for his papaya, attracting citizens and tourists to the papaya ecological park, allowing them to pick papaya themselves while sightseeing, and sell them according to the weight they have picked. Let the other party experience the fun of harvest, at the same time, can feel the simple and beautiful rural flavor. Wen Xiangteng said that although his papaya has not been sent to the market for sale, many people have come to pick melons, and demand has fallen short of supply.

"seeing that everyone likes the papaya I planted, I am even more confident." Wen Xiangteng felt very relieved.