Page 13 - 文化旅游2024-7

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CITY LIFE | 城事

Masai, 31, hails from Peru in South America said, “I treat the blueberries like my daughters. I
and currently works as an agricultural engineer at find them beautiful and precious because I have
Honghe Jiayu Agricultural Science and Technology been involved in every step of the process, from
Co., Ltd. At the company’s blueberry plantation, cultivation to nurturing.”
local villagers warmly greet him as “Brother Ma”. Masai has cherished a deep love for Chinese
In 2017, Masai visited Mengzi on a business culture since childhood. After arriving in China
trip and discovered that the climate was perfect for in 2017, he dedicated himself to learning the lan-
growing blueberries, along with a favorable eco- guage, gaining a richer understanding of the coun-
logical environment. He also learned that the local try through interactions with colleagues and friends,
blueberry picking season lasts from November to and actively participating in various cultural activ-
June each year, which aligns perfectly with the sup- ities. He has also started a family with a Chinese
ply shortages in the Chinese and domestic blueber- woman and now calls Mengzi home.
ry markets. Inspired by this opportunity, he decided “Because of my work, I now travel frequently.
to apply his knowledge to the blueberry industry in Wherever I go, I find myself missing the Meng-
Mengzi. In 2018, he relocated to the city and began zi-style crossing-the-bridge rice noodles. It’s in-
collaborating with a professional team to co-man- teresting how each household in Mengzi prepares
age the blueberry plantation, pursuing his dream of them differently,” Masai said. He finds Mengzi,
cultivating blueberries in China. with its delicious local cuisine, stunning natural
When our reporters met Masai, he was walk- scenery, and rich customs, to be an ideal place that
ing through the expansive blueberry plantation, enhances his quality of life.
occasionally squatting down to check the growth Having lived in Mengzi for many years, Masai
of the seedlings. Since arriving in Mengzi, Masai has witnessed the profound changes the blueberry
has introduced not only new blueberry cultivation industry has brought to the lives of local people.
techniques but also innovative varieties, signifi- “The villagers who worked at the farm used to walk
cantly enhancing productivity and reducing costs. here. Then they started arriving on electric bicycles,
His efforts span from improving soil quality and and now many of them come by car,” Masai noted.
cultivating seedlings to precisely controlling water- Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Chinese
ing and fertilizing, as well as managing pests and and foreign enterprises, the blueberry industry in
diseases scientifically. Masai’s dedication and hard Mengzi has become a prominent highlight of Yun-
work in every aspect of blueberry farming reflect nan’s plateau specialty agriculture. By the first half
his passion and commitment to the field. Addition- of 2024, 1,500 hectares of blueberries in the region
ally, he is focused on promoting the enhancement were already producing fruit. In 2023, blueberry
of blueberry varieties and fruit quality to meet the production reached 22,000 tons, with an output val-
demands of the Chinese market. ue exceeding 2.04 billion yuan.
Under Masai’s expert guidance, the blueberry When discussing the future, Masai expresses
plantations in Mengzi have flourished, producing great confidence: “The Chinese market is vast, and
plump, juicy blueberries with vibrant colors. Masai I believe my future lies in China.”