Sowing marigolds is like planting gold

On the occasion of summer and autumn, walking on the banks of Caohai Lake in Weining Autonomous County, Guizhou Province, the marigold in full bloom has entered the picking season, and the chrysanthemums with large bowls are golden, which not only become a beautiful scenery on the plateau to attract tourists, but also pave a "golden road" for farmers along the lakeside of Caohai.

In recent years, Weining attaches great importance to the development of characteristic agricultural industry on the plateau, and regards the marigold industry, known as "soft gold", as a characteristic pillar industry to adjust the industrial structure and increase farmers' income. guide farmers to plant, process and sell "wrinkled" marigold.

Grower Zhao Yanyan said happily: "the flowers just picked are recycled at a price of 0.8 yuan / kg. After picking, they are directly weighed in the car and paid on delivery." The flowering period of marigold is as long as 4 months, and it basically begins to be picked in early July and lasts until early November. Once a week, the first and second yields are relatively small, with a yield of 100kg / mu and 200kg / mu, and a sharp increase in yield at 70000kg / mu. This year, it is conservatively estimated that the net profit of one mu of land will be more than 3000 yuan.

"the number of odd jobs planting and picking flowers in the base can reach hundreds of people a day at most. These odd jobs are available to men and women, young and old. Generally speaking, a worker earns about 80 yuan a day." Mr. Chen, who is in charge of the acquisition in the marigold planting base in Caohai Town, Weining Autonomous County, said.

It is understood that marigold is rich in lutein. Lutein is a natural pigment widely found in vegetables, flowers, fruits and some algae. It is widely used in the field of feed additives and food additives, and can also be used in cosmetics, medicine, aquatic products and other industries. On the international market, the price of 1 gram of lutein is equal to that of 1 gram of gold. In recent years, lutein has been widely used in the R & D and production of functional health food. As a deeply processed product of marigold, lutein crystal (raw material for food and medicine) sells for about 15 million yuan per ton.

Zu Wentao