Xinhua Net – Crops Take on a “Guinness” Challenge, Injecting New Vitality into Agricultural Development

On April 22, the 2018 “Nongda Humic Acid Cup” China High-Quality Agricultural Products World Guinness Challenge—Pingdu Grape Competition Kickoff Meeting was held at Nongda Village in Pingdu. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture’s Key Laboratory for Humic Acid Fertilizers and the National Engineering Laboratory for Efficient Utilization of Soil and Fertilizer Resources, with Shandong Radio and Television Station serving as the organizer and Shandong Nongda Fertilizer Technology Co., Ltd. and the Agricultural Science Channel of Shandong Radio and Television Station acting as co-organizers.

The launch ceremony of the Pingdu Grape Competition area

In 2012, to reach the end‑user and better serve farmers, Nongda Fertilizer launched the “Nongda Village” initiative. Under this program, any natural village where Nongda fertilizer adoption exceeds 80% can be designated a Nongda Village, enjoying free soil testing and technical guidance from the company, as well as opportunities to attend Nongda Business School to learn cutting‑edge, scientifically sound practices in planting, management, and fertilization. Xuejia Village in Pingdu was Nongda Fertilizer’s first Nongda Village; after years of ongoing technical support, the local grape industry has grown to a considerable scale, driving economic development across the entire village.

Sun Dengli, the village chief of Xuejia Village, stated that a lack of technical guidance, improper fertilization practices, and misguided choices in crop selection are the key bottlenecks hindering the village’s overall development. Initially, Nongda Village was established to address the need for technical assistance; after on-site assessments and consideration of the local soil conditions, the enterprise decided to promote grape cultivation as a regionally distinctive crop. Over the years, Nongda Fertilizer has worked directly at the grassroots level, providing villagers with free training in grape‑cultivation techniques and advising them on the scientific application of fertilizers. To date, grapes have become the village’s primary source of income, and a demonstration base for grape cultivation has been established, complemented by agritourism and pick‑your‑own activities, thus pioneering a new model of agricultural development. The growing price of harvested grapes has further boosted villagers’ economic returns.

In 2017, Sun Dengning, a villager from Xuejiacun in Nongda Village, won the championship in the grape category at the Nongda Humic Acid Cup’s “China’s High-Quality Agricultural Products Challenge the World Guinness” event. Compared with the previous year, the 2018 edition added 15 new competition categories, resulting in a substantial increase in participants. The contest continued to conduct comprehensive evaluations across multiple criteria—crop quality, appearance, weight, and more—while streamlining the selection process. To ensure fairness, the competition also implemented full‑cycle testing of the growing soil, thereby enhancing both yield and quality.

The establishment of the Nongda Fertilizer Industry’s Guinness‑record‑challenging platform has boosted farmers’ enthusiasm, providing them with a venue to showcase their agricultural products. While promoting the principles of scientific fertilization, it also encourages more growers to prioritize soil health, thereby helping to enhance crop quality.