Red Star News reporter | Lu Yanfei from Yueyang, Hunan
Editor｜Pan Li
After the CCTV 3.15 party exposed "sauerkraut", it caused a huge response in Hunan, and immediately ushered in a wave of rectification.
Recently, Red Star News learned from the Hunan Huarong County Market Supervision and Administration Bureau that Hunan Changqi Vegetable Industry and related responsible persons were fined a total of 5.488 million yuan. After paying the fine and passing the inspection, they resumed production in late April.
The person responsible for Jinrui Foods was fined 2 million yuan and is still in the process of suspending business for rectification.
"We must produce now. From the field to the factory, we must have a test report in this process, and bring the report to the market and put it on the shelves." On May 18, the relevant person in charge of the flag-planting vegetable industry told reporters that the chairman is now every day. It was so devastated that there were almost no transport vehicles in front of the door.
A Red Star News reporter found in a local investigation that because the sauerkraut produced in Tukeng is difficult to sell this year, the purchase price is only 60% of that in previous years, and many growers are facing the plight of losses.
For the construction of standardized pickling ponds advocated by the county, the villagers are most worried about the cost of construction, and they do not know when the cost can be recovered.
As for the pickled cabbage in the pit in March, the supervisory authorities installed cameras at the village entrance and farmland to prevent individual farmers from smoking or eating betel nut in the pit.
In Fu'an Village, Sanfengsi Town, Huarong County, five workers are building a standardized pickling pond.
Gao Zhuolin, a member of the town’s party committee and secretary of the Disciplinary Committee, introduced that seven or eight townships in Huarong County are planting mustard greens on a large scale. After the March 15 report, Sanfengsi Town chose three places to build more than 270 pickling ponds. Done, no more crypts will be added."
11 of the 32 mustard processing enterprises in Huarong County that were urgently suspended before have passed the inspection and resumed production.
In Sanfeng Industrial Park, Huarong County, the person in charge of a food company told reporters, "We didn't do enough in the past, and there is a major rectification, which is also a good thing for us. The rapid development and improvement is like a teacher criticizing students. But it will take time to improve, and I hope consumers will be tolerant."
Flag-planting vegetable industry fined
After being fined more than 5 million yuan
Rectification and acceptance have been passed and production has resumed
After being exposed by CCTV, Huarong County Flagship Vegetable Industry and Jinrui Foods were both subject to administrative penalties.
Among them, the legal representative of the flag-planting vegetable enterprise was fined 1 million yuan, the four production leaders were fined 400,000 to 960,000 yuan respectively, and the company was fined 2 million yuan for false propaganda.
The legal representative of Jinrui Foods was fined RMB 1 million, and the person in charge of production was fined RMB 1 million.
The Red Star News reporter learned from the Huarong County Market Supervision and Administration Bureau that the flag-planting vegetable industry and related persons in charge were fined a total of 5.488 million yuan, which has been fully paid.
After ordering rectification and passing the inspection, production will be gradually resumed in late April.
And Jinrui Foods is still in the process of cessation of production and rectification.
It is understood that the flag-chopping vegetable industry is the largest sauerkraut manufacturing enterprise in Huarong County.
The Tianyancha APP shows that the registered capital of Hunan Zhiqi Vegetable Industry Co., Ltd. is 12 million yuan. The date of establishment was in 2005, and the chairman and general manager is Yan Qinwu.
After CCTV exposed the sanitation problems in the production process of the flag-planting vegetable industry, Yan Qinwu came forward to admit his mistake, saying, "I am deeply ashamed and apologize to the vast number of consumers."
On May 18, a reporter from Red Star News came to Paqi Town, Huarong County. At the door of Paqi Vegetable Industry, they saw workers coming in and out constantly, and the salty taste of pickled sauerkraut came from time to time.
The slogan above its production workshop shows the words "Hunan Province Standardized Concentrated Pickling Demonstration Zone", and a banner at the door reads "In-depth food safety inspections, hidden dangers investigation, and major problems rectification activities - flag vegetable industry propaganda."
But when the reporter indicated that he wanted to visit the factory, the company refused.
In the Flagstaff Vegetable Office Building, only a dozen employees work on normal working days, and the entire floor looks empty.
A salesperson told reporters that after the CCTV 3.15 party report, the flag-planting vegetable industry immediately carried out rectifications. After the rectifications were put in place in late April, it has begun to resume work and production.
A person in charge of the flag-planting vegetable industry told reporters, "The flag-planting vegetable industry must now produce, from the field to the factory, this process must have a test report, and bring the report to the market and put it on the shelves... Now there is no saying that it can't be done. Don't we still have so many pickling ponds, this is no problem." The person in charge said that now few farmers want to grow mustard greens, and there are still hundreds of workers in the flag-planting vegetable industry who cannot be resettled.
On the day the CCTV 3.15 party was exposed, all the companies involved were ordered to suspend production.
Since March 16, Yueyang City's market supervision, agriculture, public security and other departments have formed a joint law enforcement team to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the city's pickled sauerkraut production enterprises, and conduct a comprehensive traceability investigation of pickled sauerkraut products on the market.
The relevant person in charge of the Market Supervision Administration of Huarong County, Yueyang City told Red Star News that the supervision department has done a lot of work recently, including that enterprises that have resumed work and production still need to strengthen supervision. In order to ensure food safety, a notice has been issued recently to allow market supervision The bureau, the Environmental Protection Bureau, and the (mustard) industry association have strengthened management, and arrangements have been made for those that fail to pass the inspection to stop, close the customs, and revoke their licenses.
"Usually our supervision is stricter than before, and no other problems have been found recently, and the current situation is relatively good." The above-mentioned person in charge said that there are 32 mustard processing enterprises in Huarong County, and more than ten have resumed work and production.
Farmers face losses
Worry about the high cost of the pickling pool
During the Red Star News reporter's local visit, some farmers said that the town has now notified the "earth cellar" to be changed into a standard cement pond, but they were worried that the cost would be too expensive and it would be difficult to recover the cost.
In addition, the cement pool is not as well sealed as the earthen cellar, and the pickled sauerkraut is easy to rot.
Regarding the 3.15 report that farmers stepped directly in the pits and smoked on the pits, many farmers said that there was salt in the pits, and they couldn’t stand it without shoes. The vegetables in the crypt are directly chopped from the ground, and they have to be cleaned when they are bought at home... It's just that some people don't pay attention to hygiene."
Mr. Hua, a farmer in Zhongcheng Village, Chuqi Town, planted more than ten mu of mustard greens last year, and most of them are still in the pits and have not been sold.
"In the best time before, it sold 50 cents a pound, but now it can only sell 20 cents. It will definitely lose tens of thousands of yuan this year." Mr. Hua said that the rented land is 200 yuan per mu. If the market is good, it will be sold at 5 cents per catty. In terms of dime, each mu of land can be sold for more than 3,000 yuan. Now it can only sell for more than 200 yuan per catty, and no one has come to collect it. Therefore, this year, each mu of land can only be sold for more than 2,000 yuan at most, plus fertilization and intermediate labor costs. It must be a loss in the end.
In Huarong County, local farmers generally plant mustard greens and beans in rotation. After planting mustard greens in October in autumn, they can be harvested in March of the following spring, and then pickled in the cellars in the fields, while beans are planted in the ground. .
When autumn comes, the beans start to be picked, the sauerkraut in the cellar is basically sold out, and the beans are also pickled in the cellar, using the same method.
"Now it is changed to a centralized cement pool, each costing more than 10,000 yuan, plus the transportation cost of the mustard from the ground to the cement pool, if you sell 50 cents per catty of sauerkraut, you will definitely lose money." Mr. Hua introduced, Growing and harvesting mustard greens are all labor-intensive, and each worker pays 200 yuan a day, as well as three meals a day and a pack of cigarettes.
In the past, the cost of digging a crypt was only a few hundred yuan, and the underground temperature of the crypt was relatively constant. In the case of a cement pond, the film covering it was easy to scratch. As long as there was a slight gap, the sauerkraut inside would rot.
At present, Mr. Hua has planted beans in the farmland. If the sauerkraut in the cellar is not sold when autumn comes, he can only dig another pit for pickling.
"Sauerkraut and beans are marinated in the same way. After the beans are marinated, they will be sold to the surrounding farmers' markets. They are also used for breakfast in many hotels. It will be too salty, but it will rot if it is not salted.”
Ms. Ma from Zhongcheng Village used to do business in other places. After losing money, she went home and started growing mustard greens. Unexpectedly, after the exposure of "sauerkraut" on March 15, she would still lose money this year.
"Now the sauerkraut can't be sold. Our family has grown 30 to 40 acres. It's too cheap, and we can't get our money back." Ms. Ma said that the mustard vegetables she grows have never been treated with pesticides, and the pickled mustard has never been treated with pesticides. At that time, two layers of film should be placed in the crypt, and it would be difficult to put them without technology.
The local mustard has been grown for decades. Due to the lack of water resources, rice cannot be grown in the surrounding area, and there is no tradition of growing wheat.
"If you don't grow mustard, you don't know what to grow."
Mr. Ma, a farmer from Paqi Township, planted more than 100 mu of mustard greens last fall, and just sold 2,000 bags (about 100 tons) a few days ago.
"Now it sells for tens of thousands of yuan, 3 cents per pound, before it was 5 cents and 5 cents, but now it can only sell for more than 30 cents." Mr. Ma said that surveillance is now installed in the village, including intersections, and the supervision department mainly monitors the Whether the production process is hygienic, whether anyone smokes or eats betel nut.
Regarding the county calling on farmers to build cement ponds, Mr. Ma is most worried about funding.
"Who can do this? A pond is worth 10,000 yuan, who will do it, and how will it be paid back?" Mr. Ma also said that the mustard harvesting season is only about half a month. Pickling is a bit unrealistic, especially if it rains, who will be responsible for the rotten to the ground?
Mr. Ma said that the useless earthen cellars in the village have now been landfilled, and the ones that have been pickled this year are still being pickled, just to pay attention to production hygiene issues.
Construction of standard pickling tanks
Huarong County introduced subsidy standards to build 300,000 cubic meters in 3 years
According to the newly released "Three-Year Implementation Plan for the Construction of Huarong Mustard Raw Material Standard Pickling Pool (2022-2024)", the construction of Huarong County Mustard Standard Pickling Pool will be implemented in three years, with 160,000 cubic meters in 2022 and 10 in 2023. 10,000 cubic meters, and 40,000 cubic meters will be built in 2024 (construction tasks in 2023 and 2024 will be dynamically adjusted according to demand).
According to the mustard production area of Huarong County of 200,000 mu, the output of fresh vegetables is 1 million tons, the current pickling capacity of processing enterprises is 100,000 tons, and the annual export sales and new process processing of fresh vegetables are 600,000 tons. From 2022 to 2024, new construction The standard pickling tank is 300,000 cubic meters, and the new pickling capacity is 300,000 tons.
The subsidy standard is that the construction of standard pickling ponds (including pickling ponds, ceilings and supporting facilities) is based on 400 yuan/cubic meter in 2022, 300 yuan/cubic meter in 2023, and 200 yuan/cubic meter in 2024.
On May 20, a Red Star News reporter came to a construction site in Fu'an Village, Sanfengsi Town, Huarong County, and saw five workers building a pickling pond.
It is understood that the construction of this site started on May 13 and is expected to be completed by the end of May.
Gao Zhuolin, member of the Party Committee and Secretary of the Disciplinary Committee of Sanfengsi Town, introduced that currently Fu'an Village will build 6 groups of 24 standardized pickling ponds, which can effectively cover the planting area of Fu'an Village.
"There are seven or eight towns in Huarong County that plant mustard on a large scale, and each town has a mustard pickling point. There are 4 villages in Sanfengsi Town that are involved in mustard planting, and 3 places have been selected to build more than 270 pickling ponds. Fu'an Village is located in the center of Sanfengsi Town, close to the provincial highway, the transportation is very convenient, and the mustard planting base is nearby." Gao Zhuolin told Red Star News that the construction of mustard ponds in the township can effectively eliminate food in the production process Safety issues, and the pickling pools are all poured with concrete in accordance with relevant technical standards, with dust-proof and drought-proof functions to ensure food safety.
"According to our progress, before the end of this year, all of them will be pickled in a standardized pickling pool, and no more crypts will be added." Gao Zhuolin said.
Regarding the taste of pickling mentioned by the villagers, Gao Zhuolin said that the taste of pickling is only related to the production process and has nothing to do with the pond. As long as the standard process is used to avoid air entry, the mustard will not be oxidized, and the taste is very good. .
In addition, Wang Shifeng, director of the Huarong County Vegetable Industry Development Center, introduced that Huarong County had not previously advertised that the mustard greens produced were "Laotan sauerkraut", and the farmers here did not say so.
"We are mainly responsible for the construction of public brands, because the government has such an obligation, and now we have to plan and promote it on the basis of rectification." Wang Shifeng said that CCTV's 3.15 Gala will greatly improve the popularity of Huarong County's mustard brand. However, the mustard industry is currently in a downturn and its reputation is not high. After attracting public attention, outside customers or dealers know that Huarong has mustard and will contact relevant companies for cooperation.
It is still in the process of rectification, and with its popularity, it is convenient to open up the marketing situation in the later stage.
"Looking at it now, it mainly has a great impact on enterprises. It is not yet time to plant mustard, and the market recovery needs a process, and farmers' enthusiasm for planting vegetables mainly depends on the market. If the market recovers well, the enthusiasm will increase immediately. "Wang Shifeng said that after the rectification is completed, the brand promotion of Huarong mustard will begin.
The person in charge of the relevant departments of Huarong County told reporters that Huarong County is currently negotiating with large domestic leading pickle enterprises, hoping to cooperate in technology and market development, and hope that leading enterprises can build factories in Huarong County.
11 companies resume work and production
Companies want to be understood by consumers
Up to now, 4 of the 5 "sauerkraut" related companies exposed by CCTV on March 15 have been punished.
Among them, Huarong County’s flag-raising vegetable industry and its responsible person were fined 5.488 million yuan, and Jinrui Foods was fined 2 million yuan.
Yayuan Pickles Factory and Tantan Qiao Food Company in Junshan District, Yueyang City were fined 550,000 yuan and 776,000 yuan respectively, and their production licenses were revoked.
According to the relevant penalties, Yayuan Pickles Food Factory was fined 550,000 yuan by the Junshan District Market Supervision Bureau of Yueyang City, Hunan Province, and was asked to revoke its food production license by the issuing authority, and restricted legal person Li Jianping from revoking the food production license. Within five years from the date of the decision, they shall not apply for a food production and operation license, or engage in food production and operation management, or serve as food safety management personnel of food production and operation enterprises.
Hunan Tantan Qiao Food Co., Ltd. was fined 775,810 yuan by Yueyang Junshan District Market Supervision and Administration Bureau for false commercial propaganda, excessive sodium content in the food produced and operated, false content on food labels, and failure to implement production and operation process control as required. And 4,210 yuan of illegal income was confiscated, and the food production license was revoked.
Other related enterprises have also carried out rectification and self-examination and self-correction. At present, 11 enterprises have resumed work and production.
In a food production workshop in Sanfeng Industrial Park, Huarong County, a Red Star News reporter saw workers wearing hats, gloves and masks working on the assembly line.
According to the relevant person in charge of this food factory, pickled food has to go through multiple processes from cleaning to final packaging. All the utensils in the workshop must meet food-grade requirements, and all of them must be aseptically operated. Employees should dress according to the changing process. Implementation, including hand-washing and disinfection, etc., the clothes and gloves of each class should also be changed.
A few years ago, the company also purchased sauerkraut from the cellar in the field for processing. Later, it took the initiative to seek transformation and development. The new plant will be put into use in 2021. At present, there are more than 150 workers in the workshop, mainly producing beans, radish heads, sauerkraut, and lettuce. and other snack foods.
"In the past, we didn't do enough, and (this time) there is a major rectification action, which is also a good thing for us. We can develop and improve quickly, just like a teacher criticizing students, but it takes time to improve. I hope consumers can tolerate it. ." The company's chairman told Red Star News.