In early May, the fields of Bozhou District were lush and vibrant, a testament to the peak blooming season for male kiwifruit flowers. For days, at the kiwifruit plantation in Gaoshan Village, Sancha Town, Bozhou District, workers have been busy among the blossoms, seizing the favorable weather to collect pollen from the male flowers, ensuring a stable supply of "golden raw materials" for pollination. This seemingly ordinary agricultural activity is actually a crucial step in determining the year's harvest.
Entering the kiwifruit male flower plantation in Gaoshan Village, vines grow freely along the supports, and pale yellow male flowers dot the green foliage, emitting a refreshing fragrance. Workers are skillfully harvesting the male flowers.
"We have 400 mu (approximately 66 acres) of male kiwifruit trees, specifically for producing commercial kiwifruit pollen. All of them are hexaploid kiwifruit varieties," Zhang Hao, the base manager of Zunyi Bohong Kiwifruit Industry Co., Ltd., told reporters.
After the male flowers are collected, workers bring them back to the workshop. Through multiple processes including drying, crushing, separating, and baking, they are ultimately processed into high-purity kiwifruit pollen, which sells for over 12 yuan per gram. "The pollen is mainly sold to kiwifruit producing areas such as Bijie and Guiyang in Guizhou, and Pujiang in Sichuan," said Zhang Hao.
Male kiwifruit flowers need to be harvested before the petals unfold and before the anthers release pollen, at which time the pollen activity is highest. Due to the short flowering period and the large number of workers required, villagers from nearby areas have been coming daily to collect the male flowers since the harvest began. Zhang Hao explained, "Currently, we need over 100 workers daily, and up to 300 at peak times. The wages are also quite high; many people can earn 200 to 300 yuan per day. This work started on April 29th and is expected to end around May 15th."
The short flowering period and intensive labor requirements make male flower collection a "race against time," and due to the high price, many villagers start collecting male flowers in the middle of the night.
Compared to traditional methods relying on insect pollination, artificial pollination technology can achieve a fruit set rate of over 90% for kiwifruit. This technology particularly addresses the problem of reduced natural pollination rates caused by rainy weather, becoming crucial for ensuring stable yields. It is understood that kiwifruit is a dioecious plant, and pollination plays a decisive role in the shape, quality, and yield of the fruit. Zunyi Bohong Kiwi Fruit Industry Co., Ltd. has planted male trees on a large scale, and the base can produce 600 jin of kiwi pollen annually. This not only meets the pollination needs of kiwis in Gaoshan Village, but can also be used for processing and sales, providing local employment opportunities for villagers in the surrounding area.
From automated harvesting in the fields to precision production in workshops, each kiwi blossom carries the hope of rural prosperity, becoming a "prosperity flower" driving income growth.
The development of male kiwifruit cultivation in the high-altitude region began in 2019. The peak harvesting period is only about 15 days, making this half-month period extremely valuable, and the income from this harvest is considerable. The village will actively seek funding to improve the infrastructure of the kiwifruit industry, promote its development, and increase farmers' income, said He Guangqiao, the first secretary stationed in Gaoshan Village, Sancha Town, for rural revitalization.
From "relying on the weather" to "mastering the technology," kiwifruit pollen harvesting is becoming increasingly refined and technologically advanced. A single grain of "golden powder" not only carries the farmers' hopes for a bountiful harvest but also represents a practical application of agricultural products to promote rural industrial revitalization and implement a "broad grain concept." The kiwifruit industry is poised for a more stable development
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