Blueberries cultivated in the desert are set to enter peak harvest season in Dalad Banner, Ordos, North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, marking a breakthrough in high-value agriculture in ecologically fragile areas.

At the blueberry cultivation technology demonstration base operated by Jiashi Agriculture in the Engebei Ecological Demonstration Zone, rows of modern greenhouses house thriving blueberry plants covered with white blossoms and young fruit.

Unlike conventional greenhouses, the base operates as a standardized, digitalized production space. Through a smart farm management platform, daytime temperatures are precisely maintained at 23–25 C, while nighttime temperatures are remotely controlled at 10–12 C, creating an optimal day–night temperature difference that enhances sugar accumulation.

An integrated water and fertilizer system enables precise drip irrigation in small, frequent doses, improving water and fertilizer efficiency by 60–90 percent compared with traditional methods. Advanced automated systems regulate temperature, humidity, light, and carbon dioxide levels, reducing climate sensitivity and enabling year-round, green, and pollution-free blueberry production in desert conditions.

As China's first large-scale blueberry cultivation technology demonstration project in a desert environment, the base has achieved about 60 percent automation in production management. A full industrial chain has been established, covering planting, sorting, storage, packaging, transportation, and sales, accelerating the integration of facility agriculture with digitalization, standardization, and market-oriented operations.

Construction on the project began in September 2024, and by June 2025, all 29 greenhouses had been completed. Nearly 60,000 blueberry seedlings have been planted across a 310-mu (20.67 hectares) site, supported by coordinated services from local authorities in water, electricity, transportation, and labor.

Benefiting from more than 3,000 hours of annual sunshine at an altitude of 1,300 meters, a dry climate that reduces pests and diseases, and clean groundwater naturally filtered by sand layers, the blueberries are growing better than expected and are expected to reach peak yield later this month.

The industrial benefits are already becoming evident. This year, each plant is expected to yield 1.5–2 kilograms of fruit, with total output estimated at around 100 metric tons and sales nearing 10 million yuan ($1.43 million). Next year, output is projected to double, with sales exceeding 20 million yuan. The harvest season runs from January to April, creating about 500 person-times of employment per month and providing off-season income opportunities for local residents.