To revitalize rural areas, it's essential to breathe new life into the local economy. Laiwu District in Jinan has been focusing on boosting key industries, leveraging its unique agricultural strengths in products like "three spicy crops and one fragrant plant" and "three black crops and one flower." The district has been actively transforming and upgrading traditional agriculture, striving to make farming a promising industry. Laiwu has earned numerous honors, including being recognized as a national model area for the quality and safety of exported agricultural products, a national pilot county for the cold storage and preservation of agricultural products, and a strong county in modern agriculture in Shandong Province.

 Growing Strong: Leading Agricultural Enterprises Drive High-Quality Development

In recent years, Laiwu District has adhered to a development strategy that emphasizes ecological sustainability, industrial strength, and innovation. By applying industrialization concepts to agriculture and relying on the National Agricultural Science and Technology Park in Laiwu Agricultural High-tech Zone, the district has significantly expanded its agricultural processing industries, particularly in products like black garlic and enzyme-based goods. The district has nurtured over 80 leading agricultural enterprises at the city level or higher, with a processing capacity exceeding 2 million tons. These enterprises have developed over 200 products related to food, medicine, and health, exporting to more than 100 countries and regions. Notably, Laiwu's ginger products account for 70% of the country's exports and have ranked first nationwide for 15 consecutive years, benefiting both health and the local farmers' income.

Setting Standards and Building Brands: Expanding the Influence of "Laiwu-Made" Products

Good products come from good land and water. From June 8 to 10, the "Laiwu YOU Select" Quality Products Fair was held by Xueye Lake, showcasing more than 300 specialty agricultural products from 54 selected enterprises across 15 sub-districts and towns in the district. The fair also featured over 10 intangible cultural heritage projects, including tin carving and Yanzi stone carving. Laiwu’s specialty products like Laiwu sausages, Qi's braised pork, Qilu dry-roasted goods, Chen’s pastries, and Shanong crispy pears were a hit with visitors, receiving high praise from tourists. Over the three days, the fair attracted more than 20,000 visitors, with over 150,000 people participating in both online and offline activities. The event's success highlighted the growing brand influence of Laiwu's quality agricultural products.

Tailored Development Plans: Ensuring Farmers See Real Benefits

Ultimately, increasing farmers' income is key. In Laiwu today, there's a growing momentum in developing rural industries and boosting farmers' earnings by adopting an approach of "farming where suitable, industry where feasible, and tourism where possible," all tailored to local conditions. Across Laiwu, a beautiful picture of industrial revitalization is gradually unfolding.