Summary of the Core Content
This news article tells the story of Li Jinlong, a farmer from Zhongshan Village in Fengqing County, Lincang, Yunnan. At the age of 50, he returned to his hometown to start a business growing traditional Chinese medicinal herbs (TCMH) such as Paris polyphylla. He caught the golden market period between 2017 and 2018, but later faced a sharp decline in prices. Nowadays, harvesting mature TCMH results in losses, so he has turned to raising pigs as a short-term solution to support his operations. He also manages the TCMH crops for 114 impoverished households and continues to support education efforts. Despite numerous challenges, he remains committed to his fields, pigsties, and the hopes of the villagers, while exploring opportunities to switch to growing Polygonatum sibiricum and seeking technical assistance.
I. Returning at 50: The Trial-and-Error Journey from Worker to TCM Leader
Li Jinlong is a local from Zhongshan Village. He saved money by working in Guangdong for many years. In 2014, seeing the abandoned land and the lack of direction among his fellow villagers, and taking advantage of the boom in the TCMH industry in western Yunnan, he acquired 40 acres of mountain land to grow Paris polyphylla. However, he faced significant initial setbacks:
- He mistakenly thought growing TCMH would be as simple as growing corn; as a result, all 7 acres of seedlings died due to lack of proper techniques.
- He didn’t realize that Paris polyphylla takes 6–8 years to mature, and the first batch of plants, grown for 3 years, had insufficient saponin content and thus became useless.
Over time, he developed his own methods: avoiding chemical pesticides and manually weeding 5–6 times a year, using plant ash for pest control. Today, his farm covers nearly 600 acres, including 200 acres of Paris polyphylla and 300 acres of Polygonatum sibiricum.
II. The Market’s Wild Ride: From “100,000 in Profit per Pot” to “200 Losses per Pound”
The years 2017–2018 were a golden period for the TCMH industry: fresh Paris polyphylla was sold for 280 yuan per kilogram, and every household in Luodangqingtou Village could earn 100,000 yuan annually from just a few square meters of cultivation. Li Jinlong’s small-scale harvests were profitable, and he even supplied seedlings to surrounding villages on behalf of the government.
But once the boom subsided, the industry took a dive:
- Farmers across the country started growing TCMH, leading to an oversupply;
- Major companies like Yunnan Baiyao had enough inventory for 24 years and stopped bulk purchases;
- The price of fresh Paris polyphylla has dropped to 30–40 yuan per kilogram, and dried herbs have fallen from 1,200 yuan to 105 yuan per kilogram. Harvesting one pound now results in a loss of 200 yuan after deducting costs.
III. Self-Saving in Difficulties: Raising Pigs as a Stabilizing Factor, Supporting Impoverished Villagers
To survive, Li Jinlong adopted a strategy of using pig farming to support his long-term TCMH operations:
- He raised over 2,000 black pigs, using the income from their sale to offset the high costs of growing TCMH.
- The stems and leaves of Paris polyphylla are used as feed for the pigs, which helps reduce costs. However, pig prices have also been unstable, and the biggest challenge remains sales. Although the government has provided some support, the market cannot be controlled by mere words.
Another significant responsibility is managing the TCMH crops for impoverished households. Since 2019, the government provides the seedlings, while Li Jinlong supplies the necessary technology, labor, and fertilizers to help 114 households grow Paris polyphylla on 30 acres. With the current low prices, the profits are minimal, but he hopes that market conditions will improve in the future.
IV. Unchanged Passion: Supporting Education and Staying True to His Roots
Li Jinlong has also been committed to education. Since 2016, he has donated computers and water heaters to Xueshan Town Central School, regardless of the TCMH market conditions. He feels a sense of duty towards the local children, saying, “The conditions in Zhongshan Primary School are too poor; if the kids don’t get a good education, they’ll be trapped in the mountains for life.”
Why doesn’t he leave? He explains, “My roots are here.” Without him to manage the crops and provide income for the elderly villagers (who earn 80 yuan daily from weeding), who else will take care of them?
V. A Glimmer of Hope for the Future: Switching to Polygonatum sibiricum and Seeking Technical Support
Li Jinlong is not giving up completely:
- The price of Polygonatum sibiricum is stable (13 yuan per kilogram) and has a shorter growth cycle (3 years), so he has acquired 80 more acres to plant it.
- He plans to explore deeper processing methods (such as making medicinal wine or drying the herb nine times), but lacks the necessary technology.
- Experts from the School of Pharmacy at Zhongshan University regularly visit to provide guidance, giving him hope for the future of his farm.
He manages 600 acres of crops, 2,000 pigs, and the hopes of 114 households. His story highlights the volatility of the TCMH industry, the struggles of small farmers, and the resilience of ordinary people in the face of challenges.
This report does not rely on grand narratives but uses Li Jinlong’s story to illustrate the ups and downs of the TCMH industry, the difficulties faced by small-scale growers, and the perseverance of individuals in a rapidly changing landscape.