"Obtaining certification is crucial—it not only secures higher prices for our muskmelons but also boosts sales volume," said Xu Min, general manager of Xinxiang Qingdieyuan Ecological Agriculture Technology Co., Ltd., on August 27, 2026, as she shared her experience with peers seeking guidance. Earlier this year, Xu was concerned that a well-known supermarket chain required her company's green treasure muskmelons to obtain organic product certification or GAP certification (Good Agricultural Practices certification) for continued supply, or cooperation would cease.
"For enterprises, there's an urgent need to transition to organic farming, yet we lacked the technical know-how and understanding of how to pass certification," Xu explained. Many other companies in Yanjin faced similar challenges. As a major agricultural county, Yanjin actively promotes organic farming, but grapples with three significant obstacles: a shortage of growers, difficulties in cultivation, and ineffective marketing strategies.
A turning point came with an organic product certification enhancement initiative jointly launched by market regulatory departments at the provincial, municipal, and county levels. This program provides policy support, technical assistance, and financial backing, alongside a "certification loan" financial service offering door-to-door support for certified enterprises. Xinxiang Qingdieyuan Ecological Agriculture Technology Co., Ltd. became one of the first beneficiaries.
Certification agencies delivered technical expertise directly to the fields, assisting enterprises in tackling challenges related to soil improvement, green pest control, and standardized management. More than 130 acres of green treasure muskmelons secured GAP certification just before market release, ensuring product quality and elevating consumer trust. Consequently, the company's muskmelon sales doubled year-over-year, with wholesale prices exceeding neighboring cities' rates by 6 yuan per kilogram, instilling renewed confidence throughout the entire organization.
Organic certification has also positively impacted wheat production. "Yanjin wheat is celebrated as 'China's No. 1 Wheat.' The organic certification not only preserves the county's 80,700 acres of organic wheat cultivation area but also maintains a premium of 20%—30% over conventional wheat," noted a representative from the Xinxiang Market Supervision Administration.
"Who will buy what we grow?" remains the foremost concern for farmers and cooperatives when initially transitioning to organic farming. To address this, market regulatory authorities organized enterprises to showcase their superior products at the Asian International Organic Products Expo and Henan Province's "World Accreditation Day" events, resulting in supply contracts exceeding 2,410 tons.
"Where do we find the workforce?" poses another challenge for Yanjin's organic agriculture development. Difficulty attracting rural talent and insufficient local training have historically constrained growth. Through the organic certification enhancement initiative, the county has been recruiting returning young people and veterans to strengthen the industry, while providing precise, systematic training to transform ordinary farmers into skilled professionals proficient in cultivation, management, and business operations.
These certification documents have not only unlocked added value for primary agricultural products but have also catalyzed the integrated development of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries. Leveraging Yanjin's advantageous local industries, market regulatory bodies selected ten pilot enterprises across organic wheat, peanuts, and fruit-vegetable cultivation, organic flour, noodles, and corn juice processing, and organic fertilizer supply, creating a comprehensive chain from organic agricultural inputs and raw material cultivation to deep processing, converting products into food-grade items and connecting farmland with industrial operations.
In terms of industry models, the county promotes the "company + cooperative + farmer" organic farming approach, facilitating large-scale cultivation, standardized management, and intensive operations to advance ecological, social, and economic benefits simultaneously.
"We cultivate fruit trees, peanuts, and sweet potatoes, raise cattle, and also offer pick-your-own experiences and farming education programs. Urban families visit on weekends with their children—they enjoy learning and playing, and take home our agricultural products. Combining farming, breeding, and education, our prospects are continuously expanding," said a representative from Yanjin County Nongbang Agricultural Byproduct Deep Processing Cooperative.
The "golden key" of organic certification has unlocked the gateway for Yanjin's agricultural products to shift from selling by weight to selling by quality, clearing distribution bottlenecks from farm to table, and opening broader avenues for comprehensive rural revitalization.