An employee packages asparagus at the cultivation base. [Photo/WeChat account: qidongfabu]

Nestled within Wuwei village in Qidong, Nantong, Jiangsu province, an asparagus cultivation base boasts over 2,000 greenhouses sprawling across 700 mu (46.7 hectares) of land. According to Deng Fulong, director of the base, the annual output of the base reaches 10 million yuan ($1.39 million) despite seasonal fluctuations in asparagus prices

With 14 years of experience in asparagus cultivation under his belt, Deng has become proficient in the trade. He uses organic fertilizers and eschews pesticides, resulting in produce with elevated nutritional value.

Traditionally, the cultivation base's asparagus was primarily processed into canned goods and exported abroad. However, domestic demand has surged in recent years, prompting Deng to explore new avenues for sales, including live streaming sessions.

The Chinese New Year market witnesses a substantial surge in demand for asparagus, with several thousand kilograms sold daily, said Deng. This year, even customers from Malaysia and Singapore have proactively reached out to purchase asparagus, all facilitated through cold chain logistics.

Due to the necessity of manual harvesting, the base employs an average of 20 workers daily, providing employment opportunities for nearby villagers.