Village chiefs promote their agricultural products through livestreaming. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

Eight village chiefs from Hezuo town in Qidong took to Douyin (China's TikTok) for their first-ever joint livestream on May 10 to promote their villages' signature agricultural products. In just one hour, they received over 200 orders for local specialties, including watermelons, asparagus, duck eggs, and melons.

Hezuo town, traditionally an agricultural area, has been actively restructuring its farming industry in recent years by focusing on green and eco-friendly agriculture. It has developed a diverse matrix of premium agricultural products, centered on specialty fruits, vegetables, and high-quality rice.

"One of our constant challenges has been figuring out how to get our quality products out into the market and increase farmers' incomes," said Dong Xianneng, deputy head of Hezuo town.

To that end, the town established a company in 2023, aiming to integrate online and offline sales channels. Earlier this year, Caojiacun village invited influencers to promote their asparagus, generating positive results. However, Dong noted, "While internet influencers can bring short-term traffic, the long-term costs are high, and farmers often earn less due to profit-sharing."

Instead, the company launched a new strategy by forming a livestreaming team led by the village chiefs themselves. Leveraging the trust villagers have in them, the approach reduces intermediary costs, connects farmers directly with consumers, and boosts both product sales and income.

Since April 26, the town has produced 14 promotional videos featuring village scenery, culture, and local products. These short videos have generated over 530,000 views across Douyin and WeChat channels, helping build momentum for the livestreams.

"Traffic is turning into real profit," Dong said. For example, in Shuhai Village, watermelons have already sold out through pre-orders sparked by the videos.