When people think of jujubes, their first impression might be just a little snack enjoyed during farm work in the mountains. But today, these tiny jujubes have become a “cash cow” that’s helping villagers boost their incomes and get rich. Right now, a 500-mu demonstration base for high-grafting and variety improvement of jujubes in Lin County is enjoying a bountiful harvest. Our reporter will take you on a visit to uncover the secrets behind how locals are making the most of every last bit of these jujubes—and to learn about the tremendous potential hidden within these small fruits.

In the depths of late autumn, with ripe fruits hanging abundantly from the branches, at the 300-mu demonstration base for high-grafting and variety improvement of jujube trees in Qikou Town, Lin County, Lüliang, clusters of jujubes drape elegantly from the branches, creating a particularly delightful sight. Taking advantage of the clear and sunny weather, date farmers are busy harvesting the jujubes, presenting a scene of bustling harvest activity.

These tiny fruits, hidden beneath the lush green leaves, are a unique gift from the mountains. Though small, the jujube is packed with nutritional and medicinal value. According to the "Shennong's Materia Medica," jujubes have a neutral nature and a sweet-sour taste; regular consumption can strengthen the spleen and stimulate appetite, nourish the heart and calm the mind, and help control excessive sweating. Moreover, jujubes can be processed into products such as jujube flour and jujube juice—making them truly “a single fruit with multiple treasures.” In recent years, Lin County has leveraged the talent, technology, and platform advantages of the Chinese Society of Forestry and the Fruit Tree Research Institute of Shanxi Agricultural University to establish jujube cultivation bases, thus forging a new path for rural revitalization.

Chen Yongzhen, Head of Shanxi Qikou Hong Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd.: Right now, our base has around 50 to 60 varieties. Among them, we’ve selected three that stand out as particularly outstanding. One of these is a fresh-eating variety—primarily grown for consumption—that’s a large, sour jujube with exceptionally high yields. Take a look at these fruits: they command a very high market value, six to seven times that of regular jujubes, and demand far exceeds supply.

The person in charge told reporters that the jujube base in Qikou Town was established last year through grafting, achieving fruit-bearing in the same year as grafting. This year, the base is expected to produce 60,000 jin of jujubes, with an output value potentially exceeding 600,000 yuan. Meanwhile, to further leverage local resource advantages and enhance the added value of jujube products, the local area is also capitalizing on the technological strengths of agricultural enterprises to focus on developing a deep-processing base for jujubes. They will sell jujube pulp, jujube seeds, and jujube powder separately, processing them into a variety of jujube-based food products. In this way, they can fully utilize every part of the small jujube while enabling villagers to find employment and become prosperous right at their doorsteps—achieving both economic gain and job creation simultaneously.

In the process of developing the jujube industry, the local area has closely aligned itself with the Yellow River Basin’s ecological conservation and high-quality development strategy. Taking the jujube high-grafting and superior-variety demonstration base as the leading force, it has successively leased over 500 mu of abandoned jujube orchards for jujube cultivation and grafting. Today, these previously neglected lands have ceased to be a source of trouble and have instead become natural resources that powerfully support the development of the jujube industry. In Lin County, small jujubes are transforming into “money-making” trees for local residents, offering a new and promising path to prosperity and rural revitalization.

It can green up barren hills, conserve water and soil, and turn mountains verdant and waters lush. In other words, we can repurpose the abandoned jujube trees by grafting red jujubes back onto sour jujubes. While adhering to natural laws, we’ll also adapt to market demands and move forward. In the next stage, we’ll expand our scale and extend the industrial chain, thereby boosting the economic income of local residents.