Huitong's bamboo industry drives local growth

Yang Peiru's WeChat Moments this year has been dominated by recruiting advertisements for his bamboo shoots processing company in Huitong county, Hunan province.

One post said, "Emergency! Tonight. Need seven or eight temporary workers for packing. Both men and women are acceptable. Same-day payment is provided."

Standing in the busy production lines of his factory, which processes 10,000 metric tons of bamboo shoots into preserved food annually, Yang marveled at the growing demand that sometimes exceeds the capacity of the factory's 60-strong team.

His company provides a microcosm of how the local forest-based non-timber economy has been thriving as Huitong authorities strive to transform the "lucid waters and lush mountains" in the province into valuable assets.

Since 2024, a total of 10 new bamboo shoots processing companies have been established in Huitong, spurred by local government policies that leverage the potential of rich local bamboo resources in boosting economic development.

Before registering his company, Hunan Lyudi High-tech Agriculture and Forestry Development Co, in 2017, Yang had a decent job in Shanghai — he worked as a senior sales executive for a State-owned tobacco company.

He never thought about investing in such a business back in his hometown. But when he was approached by local carders with an enticing proposal, he found it was something hard to refuse, as local government offered so many preferential policies.

He received 120 yuan ($17) subsidy for every square meter of his factory, which has a floor area of 10,000 square meters, he said. Facilitated by local authorities, he managed to lease over 3,300 hectares of bamboo forest from local farmers.

Using his forestry rights as collateral and backed by a government guarantee, he obtained a 10 million yuan bank loan.

"Since its official sales launch in June 2021, the company has experienced steady growth in its business, with sales projected to reach 80 million yuan this year," Yang smiled.

He said the company now employs over 70 workers, most of whom are local residents, earning more than 4,000 yuan a month working on the production lines.

Two additional packaging lines will soon be installed, creating demand for another 30 to 40 workers, he disclosed.

Yang leases the bamboo forest from local farmers at a price of 1,050 yuan per hectare. In addition to working in his company's production line, local farmers can also earn income by harvesting bamboo shoots, cutting mature bamboo and handling transportation. For this additional work, the company annually pays out approximately 15,000 yuan per hectare.

The company maintains around 150 year-round employees but hire up to 600 to 700 workers during the bamboo shoot harvesting seasons in winter and spring to meet production demands, Yang revealed.

Song Xiaofeng, a villager from Xuanshui village in the county, said working in the company has been such a boon for her.

The woman in her 50s said, though her family owned 1 hectare of bamboo, they could hardly benefit from that before the company came to invest.

The road was bumpy, and she and her husband used to carry mature bamboo and bamboo shoots on their backs, often taking them one hour to get back home from the bamboo forest.

She said, in addition it took them more than two hours to transport bamboo shoots to local fairs to sell. But because almost every household had bamboo forests, it was not easy to sell much.

Her family could hardly make more than 1,000 yuan from their bamboo forest annually, she said.

Lyudi High-tech's operations have brought transformative changes. While leasing their bamboo forest to the company, she now works in its processing lines and can make 4,000 yuan to 4,500 yuan a month.

"The factory is quite close to my home. That allows for a convenient daily commute, and I have enough time to care for the elderly and child," she said. "I have also been freed from the hardships I previously endured when working in the mountains."