“Spring marks the year’s beginning, and farming leads the way.” In Zhangbei County, Hebei Province, this ancient wisdom is alive and thriving. Despite the lingering chill on the Bashang Plateau, workers are busy tending to micropropagated potato seedlings, filling high-tech greenhouses and bustling warehouses. The energy signals not just a new season, but a new chapter for one of China’s fastest-developing agricultural success stories.
In 2024, “Zhangbei Potatoes” was officially included in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs’ list of China’s top agricultural brands—one of only three regional public brands selected from Hebei Province. And for good reason: with an average altitude of over 1,400 meters, abundant sunlight, cool temperatures, and dry, loose soil, Zhangbei offers a near-ideal environment for high-quality tuber development.
But natural conditions alone aren’t enough. Zhangbei’s rise as a potato seed power lies in decades of strategic investment in virus-free seed technology, farmer training, and full-chain infrastructure development.
A National Leader in Virus-Free Seed Potato Production
Zhangbei has been a pioneer in potato seed development since the 1960s, when the local research station began experimenting with meristem virus elimination techniques. These efforts gained momentum in the 1990s, when virus-free seed potatoes began to spread throughout the region, reversing yield decline caused by seed degeneration.
Today, Zhangbei is known as “China’s Capital of Original Seed Potatoes,” supplying over 50% of the nation’s microtuber production. The county boasts:
- 6,200 mu (approximately 413 hectares) of original seed potato propagation land
- 15 billion microtubers produced annually
- Over 41 seed enterprises and 160+ cooperatives and family farms involved
- More than 60 million yuan ($8.3 million USD) invested from 2017–2020 to support seed development, cold storage, and infrastructure
In total, Zhangbei produces 600,000 tons of potatoes annually, with over 400,000 tons exported to 16 provinces, including Guangdong, Guangxi, and Yunnan. The total potato-related output exceeds 1 billion yuan ($140 million USD) per year.
Building the Full Potato Value Chain
Zhangbei’s ambitions go beyond seed production. Through comprehensive planning and industrial investment, the county is building an integrated potato value chain—from elite seed propagation and commercial potato cultivation to cold storage, processing, and distribution.
Key highlights include:
- 5 processing enterprises with a combined capacity of 200,000 tons per year
- 25 storage facilities with 750,000 tons of cold storage capacity
- A 2.2 billion yuan ($300 million USD) investment in a new full-powder potato plant by Yide Agriculture, including nine gas-regulated warehouses and a fully automated production line
These efforts are not just about processing efficiency—they’ve created over 20,000 jobs, supported 30,000 farming households, and attracted 3,000+ families into direct or indirect potato-related businesses. In 2022, the “Bashang Zhangbei Potato Farmers” were named a city-level employment-driving labor brand.
Youth and Innovation Fuel the Next Generation
Zhangbei is also nurturing a new wave of “young farmers” who combine agricultural roots with technical knowledge. One example is Yang Xiaohui, a 39-year-old microtuber producer whose family once grew potatoes in open fields. Today, her lab-grown seedlings are shipped to Inner Mongolia and Yunnan, making her greenhouse the largest in the village.
The local government is doubling down on this momentum. Future plans include:
- Enhanced partnerships with universities to foster research and innovation
- Development of a “Potato Seed Silicon Valley”
- A new wave of modern agricultural parks and leading enterprises
- Continued promotion of new varieties and sustainable practices
Zhangbei is not just growing potatoes—it’s growing a vision of agricultural modernization. Through deep investment in seed innovation, infrastructure, and people, this northern county has built a model for how rural regions can transform into global agricultural leaders. As China’s demand for food security and traceability increases, Zhangbei’s seed potato ecosystem may well be a template for the future.
