Chapter 85
The next day, Secretary Wang came to see Zhen Zhen and her two sons and wanted them to help plan a medicinal herb planting base.
Batou Village is very suitable for growing medicinal herbs. There is a shortage of medicinal herbs nowadays. If they can really be grown, it should be no problem for the per capita income to be 10,000 yuan.
Zhen Zhen told Secretary Wang everything he knew.
With her affirmation, Secretary Wang felt more at ease.
Nowadays, everyone has implemented the production responsibility system. Every family wants to go it alone, but they dare not take this step lightly for fear of losing all their money.
It is most appropriate for the village to take the lead in doing this.
Secretary Wang wants to grow ginseng. Currently, ginseng on the market costs 30 yuan per catty. For the people in Batou Village, the price of one catty of ginseng is equivalent to their income for one or two months.
But Zhen Zhen is not optimistic about ginseng.
Secretary Wang was puzzled. "I understand that ginseng is the best-selling medicinal herb in the market."
Nowadays, ginseng has not been allowed to enter the food industry and can only be sold as a medicinal material, which limits the sales channels of ginseng.
Besides, since Batou Village has no good business in growing ginseng, how can it attract merchants from other places to come and buy the goods?
Furthermore, it takes six years to harvest ginseng, and no one can predict what the market conditions will be like six years later.
Ordinary people simply cannot afford such a long-term, high-investment project.
Zhen Zhen explained to Secretary Wang in detail, "Secretary Wang, I respect you very much, but market information has a lag. Even laymen like us know that ginseng makes money, and other people must know it too. I am sure that many people are preparing to plant ginseng in large quantities because ginseng is easy to sell. You can imagine what kind of situation they will face when the ginseng is harvested in 6 years? By then, the market will be saturated and the price of ginseng will drop again and again. Not to mention the loss, 6 years will be delayed like this."
Secretary Wang nodded with emotion:
"Indeed, I will lead you to do business. If you fail, you can forget about staying in the village."
Secretary Wang took a puff of his cigarette and said, "Daguo, what you said makes sense. So what do you suggest planting?"
"You can plant some Angelica dahurica, Chinese wolfberry, Astragalus, Schisandra chinensis and the like."
Zhen Zhen hesitated for a moment, as if he had something to say but didn't know whether he should say it or not.
Secretary Wang is a smart guy, how could he not see it?
"Daguo's mother, if you have something to say, just say it. I am the one who makes the decision. Even if there is a loss, you don't need to bear any responsibility at all."
Zhen Zhen naturally didn't want to take responsibility. "I have heard of a kind of medicinal material that is expensive and very scarce in the market. However, the investment cost is not low, and the bulbs need to be imported from Iran, which is risky."
"What medicinal herbs?" Secretary Wang asked.
“Saffron.”
Secretary Wang had never heard of this thing. He read the name in astonishment and smacked his lips:
"Is this produced in Tibet? Can we grow it here?"
"Although it's called saffron, most of it is not produced in Tibet. If the market is just opened, saffron will definitely be sold at a good price, but it's not easy to introduce the bulbs. It would be even better if we could find a herbal medicine company that understands the technology to pair up with Batou Village and provide some technical guidance."
Secretary Wang thought her idea was feasible and said, "Then I will go back and find out how much saffron can be sold for per kilogram."
Secretary Wang was a man of action. After hearing what Zhen Zhen said, he and several village officials took action separately.
Several people went to the medicinal materials companies in the county and city to inquire about the market conditions.
That night, Secretary Wang learned that saffron is really a good thing!
"Daguo's mother, you are really well-informed. I asked the staff of the medicinal materials company, and they were very surprised and asked me how I knew about saffron." Secretary Wang took the tea water handed over by Meng Eryong, unbuttoned his collar, and blew on it several times. "He heard that I was a village leader and wanted to grow saffron, so he called the cadres of the head office for me. It turned out that their company introduced saffron from West Germany, but the introduction was unsuccessful. Last year, they introduced a batch from an island country and the introduction was successful. This year, their company plans to import 10 tons of saffron bulbs. They said that if we want, they can help us introduce it and provide technical training."
Zhen Zhen didn't doubt that the other party was a liar. After all, people these days are so simple.
"It's great that we have someone to train us! Secretary Wang, you see, there is no saffron on the market. We are introducing saffron together with them. On the surface, we are not as professional as them. But you have to believe in the planting technology of our farmers. I can say that the top students of the Agricultural University may not be more experienced than the farmers. By then, our output will be higher than theirs, and the first-class rate will also be higher. The selling price of our saffron will not be low."
Secretary Wang agreed with this. He wanted to grow ginseng, but Zhen Guizhi's analysis made sense. They couldn't wait for more than six years to grow ginseng.
Farmers just want to eat and make money.
Saffron has just been successfully introduced, and they have seized the initiative, so they will definitely be able to sell it at a high price.
Maybe one gram can be sold for several dollars!
"I will call a meeting and let the villagers vote on it."
"Okay, I wish you guys a successful planting."
Secretary Wang made a call on the village radio, asking the villagers to bring their own stools to the meeting at the gate of the brigade.
In less than an hour, all the villagers gathered together.
Secretary Wang held a loudspeaker and first explained to the villagers what saffron was, how to introduce and plant it, and also realistically explained the risks. Finally, he let the villagers vote to make the decision.
"I have discussed this with Daguo's mother. If there are many people who object, we can plant separately and each family can do their own thing! The village will be responsible for purchasing bulbs and providing technical training."
The villagers looked at each other in bewilderment. Saffron required a lot of investment and they had to get a loan from a credit union. If they made a loss, no one could afford the consequences.
But if you don't agree, you can only watch others make money.
Who is willing to watch others make money, build houses, and buy walk-behind tractors while they themselves continue to live in a thatched hut?
Secretary Wang thought that saffron was risky and the villagers would not agree, but who would have thought that not a single one gave up.
"Secretary Wang, even if it means losing money, we will still follow you!"
"That's right! At worst, the whole village will starve!"
"If it succeeds, the whole village will be well-off!"
"Whether it's a profit or a loss, we all share the responsibility. If we fail, don't say we regret it."
The villagers encouraged each other, and the situation was much better than Secretary Wang had imagined.
Saffron has to be planted in the spring. Secretary Wang did not dare to delay and immediately contacted for a loan, intending to get the money as soon as possible and introduce the saffron together with the medicinal materials company.
Secretary Wang has a heavy burden on his shoulders as he is engaged in clothing processing and medicinal herb planting at the same time.
Zhen Zhen really admires the cadres of this era.
Zhang Cuihua said while knitting a sweater:
"Secretary Wang is a practical man. He asked our Xiaohong to go to work for training just after the Chinese New Year."
Zhen Zhen thinks this is a good thing. When people are busy, they have less time to stir up trouble, and the village will be much more harmonious.
The clothing training period was relatively short, so Zhen Zhen took some unused fabrics and let them practice.
Cloth was not cheap those days and you needed a ticket to buy it. Everyone in the village was very grateful to her.
With Zhen Zhen's help, the women in the village became more and more skilled day by day, and were now catching up with professional tailors. Song Xiaohong inspected the goods and found that there was no problem, so she handed over Manager Qiu's order to them.
Secretary Wang saw that there was work to do, so he quickly introduced the machines. Before the end of the first month of the lunar year, the machines in the village started to work.
The woman was able to endure hardships and was willing to work overtime to meet deadlines. In less than half a month, she had delivered all of Manager Qiu's goods.
Jiao Huilan was a little worried, so she took out each piece of clothing and looked at it.
"Mom, this batch of goods is pretty good, not worse than what we make ourselves."
Zhen Zhen took a look at the materials and wiring and was also quite surprised:
"Indeed, it is good. Mail the goods to Manager Qiu and attach a delivery note. By the way, didn't you make some new spring and summer styles?"
Zhen Zhen wanted to make a product catalogue so that Manager Qiu could choose products according to item numbers, but it was inconvenient to make product catalogues these days, so she asked Jiao Huilan to take photos of the new spring and summer models and send them to her.
"Write the item number on the back of the photo. Don't make the mistake. Manager Qiu can order whatever item he likes according to the item number."
"Got it, Mom."
Zhen Zhen hung the freshly washed silk scarf on the clothesline. "It's really inconvenient not to have a phone at home. I wish we could have one installed someday."
Jiao Huilan couldn't bear to think about it, "It costs more than 2,000 yuan to install a telephone."
"It's worth installing it. We're doing business. With a phone, we can earn back the 2,000 yuan in less than a month."
If Zhen Zhen remembers correctly, it took several years before private phones were allowed.
Last year, Meng Daguo and Meng Eryong went to the island country, and the pig farm was handed over to Zhao Meilan's husband. Zhen Xiangyang also went there to keep an eye on it from time to time, but nothing serious happened.
All the pork was sold out, and after the Chinese New Year, Meng Daguo bought another batch of piglets and started pig breeding in the new year.
Meng Eryong was in charge of building the factory.
This was a big event for the Meng family. Meng Eryong knew the seriousness of the matter and followed Meng Dazhui and Meng Dajian every day to urge them to make progress, which scared the two brothers.
What Zhen Zhen meant was that the factory building where the machines were placed should be built first.
These days, houses are short, money is plentiful, and staff are easy to find. By the end of March, the factory building that housed the machines was completed.
Simply pave the floor, paint the walls white, and secure the door lock, and then you can move the machine in.
Zhen Zhen looked at the empty factory and felt that victory was just ahead.
"Daguo, when will the machine arrive?"
"The day after tomorrow, I'll go pick it up at the dock with Eryong, and then find a truck to tow it back."
Meng Daguo spoke in a relaxed tone, clearly handling the situation with ease.
Zhen Zhen patted his shoulder with emotion, "Your hard work and your growth are all seen by mother. It is said that men who are engaged in business are the most attractive. Our Daguo is becoming more and more attractive. No wonder Huilan is so fascinated by him."
Meng Daguo blushed, "Mom, please stop teasing your son. Huilan is not like what you said."
"What did I say wrong? Your relationship with Huilan is getting better and better. I'm happy for you."
Meng Daguo ruffled his hair and blushed. "I am just following my mother's advice. She said that men who love their wives have a bright future."
"That's right!"
"Mother also told me to persist in learning to read and write. I have kept it in mind and will never forget it for a day."
Zhen Zhen nodded with satisfaction, "As expected of my son, he is so diligent and hardworking, just like me!"
Meng Daguo's face turned even redder.
The good things are like my mother, and the bad things are all my fault because of my dead father.
It took two days to unload and install all the machines. Fortunately, during the time Meng Daguo and Meng Eryong went to the island country, they learned all the repair techniques and instant noodle making techniques. If there were any minor problems with the machines, they could fix them themselves.
This can greatly save time costs.
Zhen Zhen called on Good Mother-in-law's employees to help clean the factory, wipe the machines, and understand how the machines operated.
Qiao Dazhuang and Sun Ying also came along, and their eyes widened when they saw such a grand factory.
Wow, Sister Zhen is so awesome!
A woman supports such a huge industry. As the great man said, women hold up half the sky!
It would be a shame if there wasn't a good woman in this family.
Qiao Dazhuang discussed with Sun Ying last night that these machines came from an island country, and the workers who can use these machines must be the focus of training.
Both of them wanted to work on the instant noodle production line, so they told Zhen Zhen about it.
Zhen Zhen also intended to transfer Qiao Dazhuang over, "Dazhuang's legs are not convenient, it's easier here with instant noodles, and the pay is higher. I'll find someone else to do the job of roasting melon seeds."
Qiao Dazhuang knew that his boss was taking care of him, and he was so moved that tears were about to come out.
"Thank you, Sister Zhen."
"We are neighbors, don't be so polite. As for Sun Ying, I think the two of them should not be on the same production line, and it is best not to be in the same department."
Sun Ying understood what she meant. When relatives work in the same department, it is easy for them to form small groups and things can go wrong.
"Okay, I'll follow Sister Zhen's arrangements."
Zhen Zhen smiled and said, "Don't worry, our factory is expanding, there are plenty of jobs, and you won't be treated unfairly. Just work hard and strive for a management position."
"Why!"
"But management is not easy to do. You need cultural knowledge."
Sun Ying agreed immediately, "I saw Huilan studying every night, so I took my child's books and read them too."
Zhen Zhen admired them very much. After a busy day, they could still read by lamplight at night. Unlike her, she would lie on the bed every night and couldn't get up.
Although the machine has arrived, there is still no sign of the instant noodles developed by Good Mother-in-law.
Zhen Zhen knows the process of making instant noodles, but she wants to develop instant noodles with the characteristics of a good mother-in-law.
During this time, she led the workers to conduct repeated experiments, but they were unable to produce a particularly satisfactory taste.
That day, Secretary Wang came to see her on his bicycle.
Secretary Wang looked around his mother-in-law's new factory and couldn't believe that a rural woman like Zhen Guizhi could have such a skill!
Secretary Wang exclaimed in amazement, "Daguo's mother, you are truly a model woman of Batou Village!"
Zhen Zhen smiled and said, "Secretary Wang is here? Don't make fun of me. What kind of model woman is this? She is just too poor to eat. There is nothing she can do."
Secretary Wang nodded with emotion:
"There is no construction without destruction! By the way, Daguo's mother, our bulbs have arrived. Do you have time to go over and take a look and give us some suggestions?"
"We're here so soon?"
"How can it be fast? We have been waiting for two full months. If it doesn't come soon, the best breeding period will be over."
Zhen Zhen rode a bicycle back to Batou Village with Secretary Wang, only then did they discover that there were two trucks carrying bulbs.
"So many balls? How much land do we need to invest?"
"There are about 100 mu. According to the herbal medicine company, the output value in the first year is not high, but in the second year, the bulbs can multiply and the output will increase a lot."
“How much saffron can we harvest in the first year?”
"If we estimate optimistically, it would be just over 100 kilograms."
Zhen Zhen didn't know the purchasing price of saffron, but saffron was sold by the gram, so these 100 kilograms would surely fetch tens of thousands of yuan, right?
Zhenzhen’s research and development of instant noodles has not made much progress.
That day, she received a letter from Manager Qiu, saying that their clothes were very popular. During the summer vacation, there would be a large flow of people in Beijing and many people would buy things, so they wanted to invite their brand to hold a special sale.
These days, sales are very profitable, so Zhen Zhen naturally couldn't miss such a good opportunity.
She discussed it with Jiao Huilan and decided that now that the output value had increased, they would need to design more styles and import more fabrics.
Jiao Huilan is also learning design while exploring. She plans to take Tao Aihong to Vancouver and Guangzhou to look for inspiration.
Jiao Huilan also plans to ask her mother-in-law to design some clothes for her.
"Mom, the clothes you designed have good styles and look elegant. Middle-aged people especially like them."
Zhen Zhen did not refuse, but her focus was still on the research and development of instant noodles.
Three fresh noodles, chicken soup noodles, braised beef noodles...
If we create a gimmick of collecting Water Margin cards, will it sell better?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
