Organic Farming Grips China
CHINA - Cows at Green Yard, one of China's first organic dairies, enjoy a pampered life in the country. They take daily strolls in the pasture. For a morning snack, the cows graze on grass untouched by pesticides.
5 October 2007
1 minute read
| Green Yard is at the forefront of Chinese organic farming |
When it's time for a more filling meal, they dine on organic hay from Inner Mongolia, or perhaps sweetcorn, grown right on the farm. When they get sick, they take only traditional Chinese medicine.
The man behind Green Yard is Wang Zhanli, a farmer born in Yanqing, about two hours' drive from Beijing. He persuaded 50 of his neighbours to invest in his business.
Mr Wang had initially started a traditional dairy, but his small farm was no match for mass-market brands such as Mengniu Dairy, based in Inner Mongolia.
About three years ago, he decided to make the switch to producing organic dairy products, because he could charge more.
"Nowadays, what we eat is important," he said. "It's important to eat food that is good for you. A lot of farmers in China use too many pesticides.
"I got into this business because I thought the dairy market would take off. It's hard to succeed in the mass market, but we're selling a better product."
Green Yard's product costs two to three times more than regular milk. With only 600 cows, the dairy supplies a small market in Beijing, but the company is keen to grow.
