According to Gao, the learning process takes around a year and new farmers can grow at least four batches of different crops to get a general understanding about roots, tubers, melons, fruits, leaves and buds, as well as marketing and sales, Gao says.

The young farmers are mainly Jinshan locals with university degrees and some knowledge of agriculture.

The project has attracted many young people and seven have been selected so far.

“I hope more young people can join us, establish their own business and rejuvenate the agriculture industry,” Gao says. “Maybe they will find broader prospects in agriculture than in being civil servants.”

Farmer Wang Jianfeng, who is in his early 40s, from Jiangzhuang Village, Caojing Town, is being “incubated.”

His small farm of more than a hectare is planted with thumb watermelons. There’s a three-month wait for orders.

Seeds, techniques and sales are all supported by Gao’s farm. The profit per mu is double that of traditional crops, Wang says. With five crops every season, he can grow 40 crops a year for an annual income of 100,000 yuan.

The heirloom and special varieties bring high prices.

Take purple rapeseed. Each mu produces around 2,500kg. As it sells 24 yuan per kilogram, the output value of one mu can be 60,000 yuan.

The growth cycle of red lotus is only two and a half months and the average yield per mu can reach 3,00kg. Sold at 33.60 yuan per kilogram, the output value can reach 100,000 yuan per mu once.

Every year Gao’s R&D team experiments with more than 100 types of vegetables, fruits and herbs.

He can only fill 60 percent of his orders, given the farm’s size and capacity, but he emphasizes that the size of the planting area is controlled to ensure high quality for high-end restaurants and hotels.

“We only plant healthful crops, which are very popular among high-end clients,” he says.