China News Service, Hefei, March 8th: Taiwanese orchid artisans plant flowers in Anhui, hoping to expand the market and deliver happiness

  Author Zhang Jun Chu Weiwei

  Recently, in the orchid planting base built by Taiwanese compatriot Wang Jintang and his wife Zhou Yumei at the Taiwan Farmers Entrepreneurship Park in Lujiang County, Hefei City, Anhui Province, light fell through the glass greenhouse and fell on the rows of phalaenopsis, and the purple, pink and white flowers seemed to "dance to tune".

Zhou Yumei carefully inspects the growth of flowers. This is the "flower world" she created with her own hands.

  Zhou Yumei graduated from Taichung University of Science and Technology in Taiwan and has been engaged in orchid variety cultivation for more than 30 years.

Optimistic about the vast market prospects in mainland China, she and her husband moved their orchid planting base to Chaohu Lake in 2012.

"The water quality and climate environment of Chaohu Lake are very suitable for the cultivation of orchids." Zhou Yumei said that after years of development, the orchid base currently covers an area of ​​110 acres.

Recently, Zhou Yumei was inspecting the Phalaenopsis flowers cultivated at the base.

Photo by Chu Weiwei

  "We hope to collect orchid varieties from all over the world, cultivate new orchid varieties here, and create a base integrating R&D, planting, sales, and export. This is also my 'flower growing dream.'" Zhou Yumei told reporters that she has Taiwan has introduced the latest orchid cultivation equipment and technology and is committed to creating high-quality orchids.

  From dark phalaenopsis to special color phalaenopsis such as gradient colors, she leads the team to continuously innovate.

There are more than 4,000 varieties of orchids in her garden, with an annual output of up to 800,000 pots of orchids.

  In the summer of 2020, Anhui experienced floods, and Zhou Yumei's orchid planting base also suffered losses, but her "flower planting dream" did not stop.

Zhou Yumei said that it is inevitable to face many challenges in the process of starting a business, but she believes that as long as she works hard and persists, she will realize her dream.

  Today, Zhou Yumei is cultivating new varieties while also integrating e-commerce development to expand sales channels.

"The rapid development of mainland China's e-commerce and logistics industries has provided Taiwanese businessmen with huge opportunities. Traditional sales channels are mainly concentrated in the flower market, but now through e-commerce, sales volume has increased tremendously," Zhou Yumei said.

  The flower language of Phalaenopsis includes conveying happiness and eternal unity.

Zhou Yumei said that the mainland consumer market is constantly expanding, especially the consumption of high-end flowers is growing rapidly. She hopes that through flower planting and flower cultivation, she not only provides consumers with various flower varieties, but also delivers beautiful blessings.

  In the future, Zhou Yumei plans to build the orchid base into an agricultural tourism resort to provide a good place for citizens who love flowers.

  Currently, her orchids are also exported to Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, Europe and other places. She hopes to increase exports in the future and sell orchids bred in the mainland to the world.

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