As early autumn paints the fields with golden hues, the fruit corn planting base in Dujiahe Village, Chengguan Town, Hezheng County, presents a thriving scene on September 1st. Rows of corn plants stand tall in the fields, with plump, tender ears nestled among the leaves. Workers are busy picking, sorting, and loading boxes of freshly harvested fruit corn, which are swiftly dispatched to markets far beyond the county's borders. From farm to table, and from local fields to other provinces, each ear of fruit corn weaves a clear narrative of agricultural restructuring in Hezheng County, serving as a vivid testament to broadening income channels for local residents.

"This year, we have transferred over 1,700 mu of land to cultivate fruit corn, with a yield of approximately 2,600 jin per mu," explained Hu Wenzheng, head of Hezheng Xubao Agriculture. During the harvest season, the base provides daily employment for local villagers, with products primarily shipped to Guangdong, Hubei, and other provinces, receiving a positive market response. Fruit corn must not only be cultivated well but also sold effectively. In recent years, leveraging local resource advantages and market demand, Hezheng County has continuously adjusted and optimized its agricultural structure, treating specialty crop cultivation as a key driver of agricultural efficiency and farmer income growth. Through policy support, large-scale planting, and market expansion, the county has guided business entities to develop high-value-added specialty crops such as fruit corn and raspberries, gradually transforming small-scale industries into substantial contributors to rural prosperity.

The expansion of the industry heavily relies on robust policy backing. "To date, the county has allocated a total of 15 million yuan in various planting subsidy funds, effectively easing the production cost pressures on business entities and farmers," noted Sun Haiwen, deputy director of the County Agricultural Technology Center. Guided by these subsidy policies, the contiguous fruit corn planting area across the county has reached approximately 5,000 mu, driving stable employment for over 800 surrounding residents. Connecting the land on one end and the market on the other, the fruit corn industry has evolved beyond its past status as a minor, self-produced, and self-sold crop. It is now developing into a specialty industry characterized by large-scale cultivation and market-oriented sales.

In Dujiahe Village, processes such as harvesting are seamlessly coordinated, with fresh corn entering the sales chain after simple sorting. For surrounding communities, the growth of the specialty industry brings more opportunities for nearby employment and income generation. From sporadic trial planting to contiguous large-scale cultivation, and from local sales to distribution across provinces, the transformation of the fruit corn industry reflects Hezheng County's shift in specialty agriculture from merely "being able to plant" to "planting well, selling far, and reaping high returns." Fruit corn is completing its journey from a "farm product" to a "market commodity" in the fields, ensuring that the sweetness of industrial development is increasingly felt by local farmers.

Today, specialty industries such as fruit corn and raspberries continue to expand across Hezheng County, the agricultural industry chain is extending further, and the vitality of rural industrial development is being continuously unleashed.