Nizehan, a dedicated worker from the 9th Team of the 143rd Regiment of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, has spent over ten years cultivating flat peaches. Recently, he returned to the classroom to learn from agricultural experts at the Corps’ Agricultural Radio and Television School.
On July 13, 2022, President Xi Jinping visited Nizehan’s regiment for an on-site investigation. During his visit, he stressed the importance of implementing policies from the Central Committee to support the Corps’ development, emphasizing the need to leverage local strengths and improve agricultural technology and equipment. His vision includes cultivating advantageous agricultural products that are suited to local conditions, with the goal of achieving greener and more efficient agricultural practices and animal husbandry.
With decades of experience in flat peach cultivation, the 143rd Regiment enjoys favorable natural conditions that produce large, sweet peaches. In line with the President’s guidance, the regiment is enhancing its flat peach industry, which includes establishing a dedicated fruit sales street. Major e-commerce platforms like JD.com, SF Express, and China Post have set up operations within the peach orchards, providing a “one-stop” service for customers looking to pick and ship peaches across the country. Additionally, Shihezi Garden Airport has introduced a reservation system for transporting fruit, ensuring efficient logistics.
Nizehan manages 15 acres featuring 11 different varieties of flat peaches. He reflects on past sales efforts, saying, “Before, selling peaches during the harvest was all about luck—tourists and small vendors would come to the orchards.” Now, he proudly notes, “Before we’ve even finished picking, they’re all sold out.”
While securing a market is vital, maintaining quality is essential for customer retention. The regiment supports growers with subsidies for upgrading old orchards and establishing new ones. Recently, Nizehan received 200 new fruit seedlings at no cost.
So, how does one properly cultivate these new seedlings? The regiment regularly organizes training sessions at the Agricultural Radio and Television School, where experts from the Peach Expert Workstation provide field guidance. They have developed a comprehensive set of protocols for nurturing quality seedlings, covering essential practices from tree pruning and fertilization to harvesting and sorting.
Today, the peach industry has become the 143rd Regiment’s flagship sector, with production exceeding 15,000 tons this year and a commercial fruit rate exceeding 95%. Nizehan’s orchard alone brings in an annual net income of 160,000 yuan.
The regiment has also expanded rural tourism centered around flat peaches, attracting nearly a million visitors each year to the Peach Blossom Agricultural Eco-Tourism Zone. In his spare time, Nizehan shares his enthusiasm, declaring, “Flat peaches are sweet, and life is even sweeter!”
By developing local agricultural products, the Corps has successfully established industrial belts for jujubes, table and wine grapes, apples, pears, and walnuts. Additionally, high-value crops such as goji berries and seabuckthorn are thriving in specific areas.
Through scientific cultivation methods and the creation of green organic production bases, the Corps is continually enhancing the quality of key fruit products like jujubes, grapes, apples, and walnuts. Currently, they produce around 5 million tons of fruit annually, accounting for nearly 40% of Xinjiang’s total fruit output, with a commercial fruit rate maintained above 85%. A number of high-quality fruit products are gaining market recognition, illustrating a promising outlook for high-quality agricultural development in the Corps’ expansive fields.
