Recently, a university student practice team from Northwest A&F University in Shaanxi visited Shanxi Qikou Red Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. to conduct a summer‑time social‑practice research activity. The delegation toured the company’s facilities, paying on‑site visits to the production base and processing workshop, and carried out an in‑depth investigation into the current state of the county’s jujube industry across the entire value chain. Focusing on topics such as brand development for jujubes, deep processing of agricultural products, e‑commerce and foreign‑trade promotion, and leveraging specialty agriculture to boost rural revitalization, the team held roundtable discussions with company executives and engaged in field‑based study and exchange.

        At the company’s premises, team members posed for a group photo with the enterprise’s management. Holding their hands-on learning manuals and proudly waving the practice team’s banner, they conducted on-site visits to gain an in-depth understanding of Qikou Red Jujube’s end-to-end operational model—spanning field cultivation, standardized processing, storage and preservation, to brand‑driven sales. As a leading local jujube enterprise, Qikou Red has been deeply engaged in the western Shanxi jujube industry for many years. Leveraging the region’s premium jujube‑growing resources, it has developed a diversified product portfolio that includes fresh jujubes, dried jujubes, snack‑style jujube products, and gift‑set–themed cultural‑creative items. The company not only serves domestic supermarkets and the gift‑market but also actively expands overseas trade channels, enabling Shanxi’s signature jujubes to reach beyond the province and be sold across China and in numerous countries abroad. In doing so, it has become a key pillar driving income growth for local jujube farmers and boosting the regional agricultural economy.
        During the field research, the company’s leadership provided the team with a detailed overview of the enterprise’s development trajectory, its standardized cultivation and management practices, advancements in deep-processing technologies, its brand‑building strategies, and the outcomes of its rural‑assistance initiatives. Over the years, Qikou Red has adopted a “enterprise + cooperative + farmer” model, creating employment opportunities for local households, establishing fixed purchase channels for jujube growers, addressing their marketing challenges, and driving the transformation and upgrading of the traditional jujube‑farming sector. This approach has laid a solid industrial foundation for consolidating poverty‑alleviation gains and revitalizing rural industries in the region.
        The members of the practice team meticulously documented industry‑development data and engaged in in‑depth discussions with company managers on youth‑oriented innovation areas such as rejuvenating marketing for jujube products, short‑video e‑commerce operations, expanding overseas markets, and enhancing the value added along the industrial chain. Drawing on their professional expertise, they put forward numerous fresh ideas for youth‑driven, digital‑focused development. Participants unanimously agreed that this field‑based study yielded rich insights, allowing them to witness firsthand the dynamism of local specialty agricultural enterprises. Looking ahead, they pledged to leverage their specialized knowledge to contribute youthful energy to the branding and market promotion of their hometown’s distinctive agricultural products.

        This university–enterprise exchange initiative serves as both a practical classroom where students put their learning into action and take root in their local communities, and a platform for businesses to tap into the innovative ideas of young talent, thereby forging a bridge between academic expertise and the local agricultural sector. Looking ahead, Shanxi Qikouhong Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. will remain committed to its original mission, continuously refining deep-processing technologies for red dates, expanding domestic and international sales channels, and collaborating with universities on industry–university–research partnerships. By leveraging its distinctive red‑date industry, the company aims to strengthen the region’s agricultural brand and drive comprehensive rural revitalization through robust industrial development.