Technology Empowers Fig Industry for Off-Season Market Leadership in Rushan, Shandong

WEIHAI, China, Jul. 11, 2025 /Xinhua-AsiaNet/–

In Rushan City, Shandong Province, figs have evolved from a traditional specialty crop to a dynamic example of modern agricultural innovation. At the Rushanzhai Town Fig Plantation, groundbreaking greenhouse technology for winter-harvested green-skinned figs has resolved longstanding cultivation challenges. This innovation enables off-season production, securing market leadership through technological prowess while driving agricultural efficiency and fueling rural revitalization.

Walking through the Rushanzhai plantation, branches laden with plump figs signal a horticultural success. Plantation director Yu Jie navigated the greenhouses, meticulously harvesting and packaging ripe figs. “We outperform open-field cultivation in quality and offer what they cannot,” Yu said. The plantation’s off-season green figs hit the market each December, with supply sustained until the following July.

The market success of off-season green-skinned figs hinges on robust technological support. It stems from 15 years of dedicated R&D by Yu, who tackled the challenges of off-season cultivation in northern China. Through relentless experimentation, he developed an innovative high-yield greenhouse technology for winter fig production, establishing a distinctive competitive advantage for the plantation.

The operation has established a comprehensive technical system covering “variety breeding, planting and pruning, park planning, and value-added processing.” The farm invests significant resources annually in developing new varieties, continuously enriching market choices. This year, seven new varieties entered trial phases, with plans to introduce 11-12 additional strains next year. These innovations will supply sapling markets across Xinjiang, Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Hebei Provinces.

Source: Information Office of Rushan Municipal People’s Government