Zhuhai residents will be able to get a taste of high-quality fresh fruit and vegetables produced at Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Modern Agricultural Demonstrative Park in the North Hezhou area this December, which began operations this month.

The 306-mu (20-hectare, 50-acre) Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Modern Agricultural Demonstrative Park is a major project in Zhuhai's development of its modern agriculture sector. It boasts a 225-mu (15-hectare, 37-acre) semi-enclosed smart glass greenhouse, which is the largest single project involving the integration of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries south of the Yangtze River in China and boasts world-leading technologies. 

It is Zhuhai's first modern agricultural demonstrative project and can realize a smart, efficient, green, as well as ecological production model with annual output volume of 7,000 metric tons, nearly 10 times the output of traditional plantation methods.

Li Qi, general manager of Zhuhai Huayi Eco-Technology, a subordinate of the park's investor and constructor Huafa Group, said that the seeds are grown using soilless culture technology, while natural coconut chaff is used as the base to avoid heavy metal pollution and soil-borne diseases brought by traditional plantation. Facilities like ventilators and curtains can realize intelligent control of ventilation, adjustment of the room temperature, as well as prevention of pests and diseases.

Smart glass greenhouse [Photo by Wu Changfu / Guanhai App]

The smart glass greenhouse was customized by 21 leading European design enterprises in the sector with the latest sci-tech research outcomes. 

Selected fruit and vegetables currently planted in the greenhouse include lettuce, strawberries, peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes, which can grow "infinitely." For example, the non-reflecting glass installed as roofs of the greenhouses and white ground fabric can provide sunlight to the whole cucumber plants, enabling them to grow to 14 m (15 yd) long in four months. As a result, cucumber picking can be carried out continuously over that period. 

Of note, lettuce planted in the park is sold in pots and customers only need to water the plants 200 microliters per day for three weeks to enjoy it. 

Currently, the park has won the honorary titles of innovative demonstrative base on modern agriculture in South China and a production base ensuring Zhuhai's "vegetable basket" project. 

Li added that the first batch of the park's yield of lettuce and cucumbers has been ordered and Zhuhai residents will be able to buy its products in December via the WeChat mini program of "华实美原" (Huashimeiyuan).