At the taro planting base in Jiaoxi Village, the large taro leaves overlap each other and sway in the wind.

 

Deng Lei, head of Chenzhou Jiaoxi Food Co., Ltd., said, “I have more than 100 mu (about 6.67 hectares) of taro, which can produce about 400,000 tons of taro annually. The taro is tender, starchy and savoury.”

 

 

 

Deng Lei, born in the 1980s, takes charge of this taro planting base. A few years ago, she and her husband, who opened a taro and sweet potato food processing factory in Guangdong Province, returned to their hometown to restart their factory.

 

“I got upset when I saw that the taro and sweet potatoes in the village could not be sold out. In order to solve the problem, I moved my factory back to my hometown in 2021,” said Deng Lei.

 

“In 2018, I planted about 100 mu (about 6.67 hectares) of taro, but the sales were not very good. Now thanks to the processing plant in the village, there is no need to worry about sales. This year, I have planted more than 160 mu (about 10.67 hectares) of taro,” said Hu Huahong.

 

 

 

Fresh taro has rich aroma and delicate taste. In order to retain its original taste, it needs to be immediately transported to the factory for processing after harvesting. The workers were busy cleaning, peeling, slicing, and frying taro. Taro chips are as light and thin as paper, with natural patterns and crispy taste.

 

Extending the industrial chain and enhancing the value chain are the key to achieving industrial upgrading. Taro chips are greatly popular in the market and make taro increase its added value. Taro chips cost 40 to 70 yuan per kilogram, while taro only costs 6 to 8 yuan per kilogram before processing. 

 

 

 

Nowadays, the taro chips from Jiaoxi Village are sold to various parts of the country, with an annual output value of about 1 million yuan.

 

“I now earn about 100,000 yuan per year more than before,” said Hu Huahong.

 

The cultivation and deep processing of taro have created a complete industrial chain in Jiaoxi Village. It has strengthened the taro industry, expanded the space for industrial value-added and efficiency, and boosted farmers’ income to promote rural revitalization.

 

Li Jifa, Party secretary of the village, said, “Currently, our village has a total area of 1,000 mu (about 66.67 hectares) of taro and sweet potatoes and nearly 100 taro growers. Next, we will encourage more villagers to plant taro and sweet potatoes for income increase.”