Yangshan Trial Implementation of Fully Mechanized Production of Honey Peach

In midsummer, when you enter Yangshan Town, Huishan District, Wuxi, the “hometown of honey peaches”, you can see round and plump peach trees hanging on the branches among the 10000 mu peach forests.

At the Yangshan Honey Peach Dongshan Experimental Base, peach grower Sun Jianqin introduced the unique features of his peach forest, with a dark face filled with a smile. In his “Y-shaped” cultivation area, peach trees are at a height of 4 meters, with tree spacing of nearly 1.5 meters. This not only facilitates the passage of various agricultural machinery, but also facilitates ventilation and photosynthesis. Sun Jianqin also innovatively designed the Taoyuan hidden infiltration pipe system and mechanized road and ditch facilities to solve drainage problems.

At present, during the busiest period of peach picking, Sun Jianqin is the first to use the “peach picking machine”, also known as the “orchard lifting platform”. This machine can quickly and accurately reach every peach tree. Peach farmers only need to stand on the machine platform and reach out to pick as the machine runs, greatly reducing the difficulty of picking and improving picking efficiency.

We have pioneered a fully mechanized production model for peach trees, which involves heavy manual labor such as machine farming, plant protection, weeding, fertilization, field transportation, and pruning. Sun Jianqin proudly stated that this year, his contracted 150 acre peach forest can achieve at least 20% of its potential for increased production, with an expected sales revenue of over 3 million yuan.

With the support of the local government, mechanized planting has been piloted in some research institutes, leading enterprises, and large planting households. Last year, the planting area of Yangshan honey peach was approximately 38000 acres, with a yield of 34000 tons and an output value of 850 million yuan. The per capita disposable income of farmers exceeded 62000 yuan.