An electronic screen reports real-time temperature, sunshine and humidity data in a greenhouse on Wangwang Farm in Haimen. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

At Wangwang Farm in Haimen, a county-level city in Nantong, fruit planting work has been delayed due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia.

The farm, founded in 2013, has been a major supplier for Suho Whole Foods, one of the city’s leading food businesses. It covers an area of about 157 hectares and mainly produces grapes, kiwis, and winter jujubes.

To ensure the fruits hit the market on time, the farm has adopted internet of things technology to regulate the growth speed of trees.

The system allows workers to use their mobile phones to adjust the temperature and humidity in greenhouses. The temperature was lowered before the resumption of operations in order to slow down tree growth and then raised afterwards to speed up growth.

So far, more than 50 employees have returned to work on the farm, according to Ye Hong, the farm’s general manager.

Ye said he has confidence that the farm will be able to bring the fruit to market on time.