“Betel nut taros are covered with plastic film for overwintering and then harvested. A taro generally weighs 1.5 to 2 kilograms, and a larger one can weigh 3.5 kilograms. The average yield per mu (about 0.067 hectares) can reach over 1,900 kilograms, with the total output value of 9.5 million yuan,” said Guo Zhiliang, head of the base, adding that last year, due to weather and market factors, taro harvesting is delayed till April this year through plastic film preservation technology, which has not only improved yield and taste, but also achieved off-peak sales.

 

 

 

The cultivation of betel nut taro provides villagers living nearby with job opportunities. During the period from planting to harvesting, about 30 persons are needed a day.

 

 

 

 

In recent years, Jingpo Town has built six planting bases of over a thousand mu (about 66.67 hectares), including double cropping rice, chili peppers, taro, and vegetables, offering jobs to more than a thousand farmers and achieving an annual increase of over 20,000 yuan per capita income.