Fruit farmers face growing price dilemma

Hopes dashed

Shi, from Jiaxian county in central China's Henan province, has been growing vegetables for more than 30 years. Before the outbreak, his experience told him that the market would be good－especially during Spring Festival－but the epidemic has dashed his hopes.

He said the closure of factories, schools and supermarkets has caused a decline in demand for his produce, while wholesalers are not willing to take the risk of storing too many vegetables. Those factors have seen prices plummet.

Shi usually sells his spinach and cabbages at 1.60 yuan (23 cents) per kilogram, but the most wholesalers are willing to offer right now is about 1 yuan per kilo. His expenses, including seeds, fertilizer and labor, mean each kg costs about 1.40 yuan to grown.

Although the peak sale time for spinach was already a week late compared with last year, Shi wanted to wait and secure a higher price. However, with the support of the media, which publicized his plight and told customers where they could obtain his goods, he sold more than 5 tons of sweet potatoes at 1 yuan per kg.

"I didn't want to sell at such a low price. Now, I will lose money, no matter if I sell or not, so I want to wait. Many farmers have sold their vegetables at low prices, but in a few weeks, when supermarkets and factories gradually start to resume work, there will be a shortage of vegetables and I may get a good price, at least 1.60 yuan per kg," he said.

Shi farms about 1.3 hectares of land, and although he generally does all the work himself he also employs laborers at a cost of 60 yuan per day. Last month, he paid nearly 15,000 yuan in labor costs, which increased his financial burden.

His three married daughters have comforted him in their phone calls. They live in the downtown and local epidemic prevention and control measures in force last month meant they were unable to visit and help out, which would have lowered costs and eased Shi's loneliness.

"I only told them about my situation on the phone. They know I am stressed and they have tried to comfort me. As the regulations are no longer so tight, my second daughter and her kid visited me two days ago," Shi said.

Despite his expectations of an upturn, he still feels stressed and his cigarette consumption has almost doubled. "I don't know how the epidemic and weather will develop in the coming days, but the spring planting season will definitely be affected," he said.