"Jingcai 8" tomatoes grow in Liangtou town of Jinghai district, Tianjin. [Photo/WeChat account: jhgbdsxww]
The Xinyuan Fruit Tree Planting Professional Cooperative in Liangtou town of Jinghai district, Tianjin, is currently in harvest season, with its greenhouses yielding ripe specialty tomatoes and chili peppers.
According to Zhang Yongquan, head of the cooperative, 12 greenhouses are planted with the "Jingcai 8" tomato, a variety known for years as a flavorful, juicy fruit-tomato. Well-received by consumers, it is mainly sold to supermarkets and wholesale markets in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
Planting begins in September, with harvesting lasting from December through March, yielding 2,500 to 4,000 kilograms per mu (37,500 to 60,000 kilograms per hectare).
The cooperative emphasizes green cultivation, using bio-organic fertilizers and microbial agents from the start. Temperature is carefully managed — around 25 C to 28 C during the day and 7 C to 8 C at night — to promote sugar accumulation and better taste.
To diversify its produce, the cooperative began testing a special type of chili pepper in eight greenhouses last September. The variety is popular and rarely grown in the Tianjin area. The trial results have been positive, allowing year-round harvesting with proper management.
The cooperative integrates scattered land for scaled and standardized planting, while also creating local jobs for villagers. Through specialty cultivation, the cooperative improves both product quality and local farmers' incomes.
Zhang Yongquan said they will continue introducing high-quality varieties, increasing technological investment, and strengthening their green agricultural brand to support rural vitalization and supply more fresh, premium produce.