The leaders of Donggu District and Dongpi Township clearly did not take this matter seriously. It seemed they believed that as long as the fruit was harvested, there would definitely be someone to buy it. However, Shen Zili knew that this was not a staple food. Even though the region and county had encouraged everyone to plant it and even issued a plan, there was no obligation to purchase it.
"Old Liang, we need to take this matter seriously. In a little over a month, the kiwifruit will be ready for market. The district and township need to carefully analyze the production volume and pay close attention to the sales channels. We can't let the farmers, who have followed the county and township plans, find themselves with no buyers. This could become a major issue," Shen Zili thought for a moment. "I will report this to Secretary An and County Chief Wang when I return. I suggest that the leaders of Donggu District and the townships also conduct a special study on this matter and submit a written report to the county party committee and government as soon as possible, requesting their attention and support."
Liang Hua hesitated. After exchanging glances with the other two main leaders of Dongpi Township, he said, "Secretary Shen, it's not that serious, is it? We've heard from the locals that people in the city really like this fruit. It will definitely be popular."
"Old Liang, I'm not exaggerating. Kiwifruit is a new thing, and neither of us knows if it tastes good or if there's a market for it. Without market research, who can say for sure? But one thing I do know is that this fruit doesn't keep well. It generally lasts only ten to twenty days. Your Donggu alone will produce 200,000 kilograms. That would require forty five-ton trucks. I ask you, where will you take these forty trucks of kiwifruit? Where will you sell them—in Nantan, Quyang, or Changzhou? Who will sell them?" Shen Zili's tone became stern and less polite.
"What if they can't be sold and rot? The farmers have worked hard for three years. If the fruit rots, will they accept it? Will they come to the township and county? You say it will be popular, but what's your basis? Where is the evidence? If it can't be sold and causes losses, will the collection of agricultural taxes and unified levies be affected?"
Liang Hua was speechless. Although he was somewhat unconvinced, he still lowered his head and respectfully said, "Secretary Shen, you're right. I'll immediately arrange for someone to analyze the situation and submit a written report to the county party committee and government as soon as possible."
The jeep struggled along the road from Donggu to the county town. Although this section was still a provincial road, the road conditions were quite poor. The asphalt road was full of potholes, and many places were barely patched with yellow mud and gravel. Some areas were completely exposed, with one pothole after another, causing the driver to grumble all the way, saying that the people at the road maintenance section were just eating their salaries.
Shen Zili knew that this couldn't be blamed on the road maintenance section, but rather on the county's lack of funds. The annual budget for road maintenance was very limited. Besides ensuring the road conditions between Nantan and Fengzhou, the route from Nantan to Futou via Changzhou also needed to be considered. The maintenance costs for these two roads alone left the county transportation bureau struggling to make ends meet.
As the vice-county chief in charge of finance, the financial constraints had been a headache for Shen Zili since he took office. He had to devote almost half of his energy to raising funds to ensure the county's normal operations, including the salaries and benefits of staff, the funding for the education sector, and the county's basic daily expenses. Every day, seeing people come to his office to sign off on accounts, Shen Zili felt physically and mentally exhausted. This was the sorrow of being the county chief of a financially poor county.
Back in the county, Shen Zili called Zhou Yuming, the deputy director of the county party committee office and director of the county agricultural office, and Wang Guofa, the director of the county agricultural bureau, to get a detailed understanding of the kiwifruit planting situation in the county.
As expected, Zhou Yuming knew nothing about the kiwifruit planting in the county. Two years ago, Zhou Yuming was not yet the director of the agricultural office and was unaware of the kiwifruit planting initiative. The agricultural office did not oversee specific agricultural work but only dealt with policies related to rural and agricultural issues. Wang Guofa knew a little, but he clearly did not take the matter seriously and was even unaware that the kiwifruit would bear fruit this year. It was only after calling a deputy director in charge that he gave a rough introduction.
After the few people left, Shen Zili paced back and forth in his office, feeling a mix of frustration and depression. As expected, no one took this matter seriously, not even the people at the agricultural office and the agricultural bureau. Even after his repeated reminders, they still had a doubtful attitude.
From the townships to the county, everyone thought that the regional promotion work had been completed three years ago. The seedlings were distributed for free, and the farmers planted them, considering the task done. As for where the fruit would be sold, whether it could be sold, and how much profit the farmers would make, that was not their concern.
Thirty thousand kilograms of kiwifruit, one could imagine, if there was no thorough preparation beforehand, it might be difficult to sell even a third of it. At least in Nantan and Liyang, few people accepted this. The market was not mature, and suddenly 300,000 kilograms of kiwifruit hitting the market, not to mention the production from other counties, which market could absorb so much?
Moreover, kiwifruit was not like grain, which could be stored for a year or two without much issue. It would rot and become garbage in just half a month. Such a huge loss would be borne by the farmers, which could lead to serious problems. At the very least, the agricultural taxes and unified levies from these hundreds of households would be in doubt, and the number of affected households could reach the thousands.
"Lu, it seems your concerns were justified. Even I was a bit careless. No one in our county or township took this matter seriously. Fortunately, we discovered it early, otherwise, it would have been a disaster," Shen Zili sighed, glancing at Lu Weimin, who was helping him organize the documents on his desk.
"Secretary Shen, this is also a matter of habit. It's been three years, and our county and township officials are used to thinking that once a task is assigned, it's done. They believe that as long as they push the work down, it's their job. Once it's pushed down, they don't care about the results. Whether it can be sold or at a good price, it's not their concern," Lu Weimin said while organizing the documents. "I imagine that Huaiyang and Futou counties are in the same situation, not realizing this issue."
"Yes, I agree. I plan to discuss this with Secretary An and County Chief Wang immediately and then report to the region. This matter can't be delayed. There's only a little over a month left, and we're talking about hundreds of thousands of kilograms of kiwifruit involving hundreds of households. Not to mention the seedlings, the cost of fertilizer and labor is not insignificant. We need to show some responsibility," Shen Zili pondered. "I'm worried