In an interview conducted on October 23, 2023, in Jiangxi’s Gongqing City, we spoke with Yu Jinhua, the director of a local crab farming base in Nanhucun village, Jiangyi Town. As the autumn chill sets in, the lake reflects shimmering lights while a small boat glides over the water. The boat’s crew pulls up a long net, revealing a bounty of succulent, blue-shelled crabs with golden claws. Joy radiates from the fishermen as they marvel at their catch.
“Since the temperature dropped last week, the quality of the crabs has improved significantly, and more people are buying them,” Yu shared with a broad smile. “We’ve already received dozens of orders, mainly heading to cities like Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shandong.” This year, he anticipates a harvest of over 10,000 pounds of crabs, projecting a revenue of around 500,000 yuan. To help with the crabbing process, Yu has employed six temporary workers.
Yu Jinhua returned to his hometown in 2014 to establish a career in aquaculture, becoming the first person in his village to farm crabs. “I spent some time in Jiangsu before returning home to start crab farming, and later, I branched out into cultivating shrimp and soft-shelled turtles as well,” he explained.
Thanks to the superior water quality of Nanhucun and his extensive farming experience, Yu’s aquaculture business has flourished. His vast fields of crabs, shrimp, and turtles utilize ecological farming methods that rotate rice with crabs and shrimp, yielding impressive environmental and economic benefits.
Local villagers often seek Yu’s advice on aquaculture, and he generously shares his knowledge. His guidance has helped more than 30 families establish their own shrimp farming operations, resulting in an average income increase of 100,000 yuan per household and an additional 280,000 yuan for the village’s collective economy each year.
Yu Jinhua is just one of many local dignitaries committed to industrial development in his hometown. The Gongqing City United Front Work Department has established 62-level “city-county-village” advisory councils, drawing in 966 members from various backgrounds to promote industries such as biotechnology, renewable energy, and cultural tourism.
Guo Shifa, the deputy director of the United Front Work Department of Gongqing City, stated, “We will continue to host events like the ‘Three Invitations and Three Returns’ Spring symposium to fully leverage the resources of our local dignitaries. Their involvement is crucial for rural revitalization, social governance, and public welfare, helping to drive high-quality development in both city and countryside.”
