Millennium Wait: The Theoretical Concept of Implementing the Western Development Strategy in Guangxi

Author: Li Fuchun et al. / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-01-01
Features:
(1) Emphasizes research on plant beverage resources and the cultivation of high-yield, superior varieties. The growth and distribution of beverage plants in Guangxi vary. Some grow abundantly and reproduce rapidly, such as leigonggen (Chinese nettle) and maogen (sweet potato root); others thrive only under specific geographical and climatic conditions, such as the precious wild stone cliff tea, primarily found on the mountains of several townships in Pingliu County; and some require meticulous care and cultivation, such as various fruit resources. It is essential to intensify scientific research on these plant resources, especially on newly developed varieties that have not been previously exploited. A thorough understanding of their growth environments, growth cycles, quality, yield, and development benefits is necessary. In the study of development benefits, sufficient scientific justification must be conducted. When selecting plant development targets, considerations should include drought resistance, the ability to grow in mountainous areas with minimal land use, and strong economic benefits with quick returns. Additionally, efforts should be intensified to scientifically cultivate high-benefit plant varieties to improve their quality and yield.
(2) Establish a scientific development model and build Guangxi's beverage brand. Currently, the domestic beverage industry is highly competitive. To establish a strong brand and secure a foothold in the market, it is necessary to develop intensive and industrialized operations based on the selection of beverage plant varieties. From research to cultivation, from harvesting to scientific extraction and the development of new varieties and flavors, and from the entire production process to integrated marketing, including research, raw material cultivation, production, and sales—all must be incorporated into the company's production management framework. This intensive operation can prevent disconnections in the production process, reduce production costs, and improve labor productivity, enabling beverage products to capture the market more quickly. For Guangxi's plant beverage production, it is crucial to first establish several major, leading brands that can drive the development of other varieties. Enterprises producing branded products must adopt an intensive operational model from the early stages of their establishment, starting at a high level to ensure future development remains ( means "at ease" or "unhurried" in this context). For some varieties with special growth requirements or those that are difficult to scale up due to funding constraints, two approaches should be encouraged: first, to promote private investment in development, and second, to relax raw material market supervision, encouraging farmers to plant, harvest, and sell more. From raw material collection to beverage production and sales, all operations must adhere to market rules, eliminating the outdated practice of relying on administrative orders to establish regional barriers, ( means "to suppress prices"), and harm farmers' interests, thereby stifling their production enthusiasm. This will ensure the sustainable development of plant beverage production.
(3) Increase research efforts and introduce high-quality plant beverages. The competition in beverage products is not only about the uniqueness of raw materials but also about the extraction and processing techniques that produce products better suited to consumer tastes. In the past, Guangxi's beverage production technology was backward, limited to crude processing, resulting in beverages with insufficient purity and palatability, and most products were of low quality with low economic benefits. In the future, advanced production and processing technologies and equipment should be actively introduced, and investment in beverage research should be increased. High rewards should be offered to encourage researchers to develop high-quality beverages, continuously improving extraction and production processes. To cater to diverse consumer preferences, a variety of beverages with multiple flavors and functions should be introduced, such as health beverages for middle-aged and elderly people, children's beverages, weight-loss beverages, and others, including carbonated drinks, fruit juices, tea beverages, solid powders, and concentrates.
(4) Arrange production schedules reasonably and focus on the comprehensive utilization of resources. Plants have different growth cycles, and their yields are easily affected by natural environmental changes. Therefore, enterprises must scientifically arrange production schedules based on the growth patterns of plants. To develop multiple plant beverage products, production should be staggered by season, with a long-term plan to avoid idle production equipment and overcome seasonal limitations in beverage production. Additionally, attention should be paid to the comprehensive utilization of plant resources. For example, in addition to extracting juice from fruits for beverages, the fruit flesh can be used to make delicious jams and dried fruits, and the fruit peels can be used to produce pectin. Resources should be fully utilized to maximize economic benefits.
(5) Focus on protecting beverage plant resources. During the harvesting of beverage plants, destructive development must be avoided, and indiscriminate large-scale picking should be prevented. Sustainable development and the protection of the regenerative capacity of beverage plants must be emphasized, along with strengthening ecological and environmental protection and construction. The ecological environment in Guangxi's mountainous areas is fragile. Without scientific and effective development, ecological deterioration may occur, damaging plant growth and even leading to the extinction of plant species, causing significant losses to humanity. Therefore, the government should formulate management regulations to guide enterprises and farmers in the rational exploitation of beverage plants, ensuring both the development of plant resources and the protection of ecological balance.
(III) Large-scale Development of South subtropical Fruit Resources
Guangxi has abundant and diverse south subtropical fruits, including lychees, longans, mangoes, bananas, pineapples, oranges, and pomelos, which are renowned nationwide as specialty fruit products. In 1995, Guangxi's fruit output ranked fifth in the country, making it one of the top ten fruit-producing regions in China. For a long time, fruit production has been a pillar industry for rural economies in many parts of Guangxi. With the advancement of the Western Development strategy, leveraging Guangxi's superior geographical and transportation advantages, fruit production in Guangxi has demonstrated immense potential and broad development prospects.
1. Market Advantages of Guangxi Fruits
- Guangxi's south subtropical fruits have unique flavors and a long history, enjoying high recognition and occupying a certain share in the national market, providing a solid market foundation.
- Guangxi's superior geographical location and transportation infrastructure give it an advantage in expanding into Southeast Asia and overseas markets. The land and sea routes connecting Guangxi to Southeast Asia are relatively convenient, shortening fruit transportation cycles, and south subtropical fruits are also well-suited to the tastes of Southeast Asians. However, many Southeast Asian countries are also renowned fruit producers. To enter this market, the improvement and renewal of fruit varieties will play a crucial role.
2. Existing Problems in Guangxi Fruit Production and Solutions
After China's entry into the WTO, the fruit market will face competition from high-quality fruits from countries like the United States and Brazil. To remain competitive, China's fruit production industry must actively address its own issues and enhance the market competitiveness of fruit varieties. Currently, the main problems in Guangxi's fruit production include insufficient capital investment, inadequate scientific management, lagging variety improvement, and weak market development.
- Capital Investment: Adequate funding is essential for achieving high efficiency and high output in fruit production. Guangxi has a relatively weak economic foundation and lacks construction funds, leading to long-term underinvestment in fruit production in many areas. As a result, low yields, poor quality, and low economic benefits are common, reducing market competitiveness. Large areas of low-yield orchards hinder the realization of economic benefits and dampen the enthusiasm of local governments and farmers to develop fruit production.
- Production Management: Most fruit farmers still rely on traditional cultivation methods, practicing extensive planting with low yields. The survival and preservation rates of fruit trees are low, and the fruiting cycle is long. Additionally, there is some confusion in fruit seedling management, with unlicensed operations and illegal seedling transfers flooding the market with counterfeit and substandard seedlings. The emphasis on planting over management has made it difficult to scale up fruit production.
- Technology: First, fruit farmers have low scientific literacy and lack technical expertise in orchard management. Due to insufficient funding, the effectiveness of technology promotion and training is limited, posing a significant obstacle to the development of fruit production. Second, there is a lack of research funding, resulting in lagging variety improvement. Issues such as an unreasonable variety structure, outdated varieties, and a low proportion of high-quality varieties persist. There are more mid-ripening varieties and fresh-market varieties, while early-ripening varieties and processing varieties are scarce.
- Market Development: Currently, most fruit sales in Guangxi are carried out by farmers on their own, in a disorganized manner, with poor market information capture and a lack of necessary guidance and organization, leading to a disconnect between production and sales. Overall, Guangxi's south subtropical fruits have significant market space and capacity, but market development efforts are too weak.
The root cause of these problems lies in the lack of industrialized and intensive operational chains in Guangxi's fruit production. Industrialization and intensification are fundamental approaches to vigorously develop fruit production, expand fruit markets, and cultivate strong scientific awareness and market competitiveness among fruit farmers. Guangxi's fruit industry should fully leverage the capital and technology flows brought by the Western Development strategy to promote industrialization and intensification, increase investment in transformation, focus on the construction of high-quality fruit production bases, and lay a solid foundation for industrialization.