The Zhanhua district in Binzhou, Shandong province, has become a beacon of agricultural success with its winter jujube industry. Known for its crispness and sweetness, the Zhanhua winter jujube has earned the status of a national geographical indication product. This achievement is the result of a comprehensive industry-wide upgrade that has transformed traditional farming practices into a modern, technology-driven enterprise.
For decades, jujube farmers in Zhanhua faced the uncertainties of nature. ‘We used to rely entirely on the weather. A good year meant a decent harvest, but if typhoons or frost hit, a year’s hard work was lost,’ said Wang Chunjun, a jujube farmer with 28 years of experience. Today, Wang’s orchard is a testament to the district’s agricultural evolution. Traditional open-field planting has been replaced by modern greenhouses equipped with integrated water and fertilizer systems, intelligent temperature control, and automated pest monitoring. These advancements have not only reduced labor but also stabilized the quality and yield of the jujubes.
In recent years, Zhanhua district has significantly increased its technological investment in winter jujube cultivation. This has led to the development of more than 10 high-quality varieties, providing farmers with rich germplasm resources. The district has also established an intelligent management platform that oversees 6,400 hectares of jujube orchards across nine major planting townships, ensuring precise and standardized management.
The industry’s growth extends beyond fresh fruit. ‘Besides fresh winter jujubes, we have developed more than 10 different products, including jujube bud tea, jujube honey, jujube wine, freeze-dried crispy jujubes, and jujube wood carvings,’ said a staff member of the Zhanhua Winter Jujube Development Exhibition Hall.
Chen Yujuan, director of Zhanhua district, emphasized the broader implications of this success. ‘The upgrade of the Zhanhua winter jujube industry represents not only a breakthrough in traditional agriculture but also an exploration of pathways for rural vitalization,’ she said. ‘We will further increase technological investment, extend the industrial chain, and enhance brand value to let this sweetness delight people across all seasons and throughout the nation.’