Xiao Yaosheng: Growing Tobacco and Building a Business Made Me Wealthy

 Introduction: Xiao Yaosheng, 37, is known locally as someone who fears nothing. By growing tobacco and starting a business, he built his wealth.

  Heated Tobacco News reported: In Shaba Village, Jinhua Town, Fenggang County, Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, there is a tobacco farmer named Xiao Yaosheng. At 37 years old, he is regarded locally as a bold, fearless man and is quite well known. Before December 2012, he had been working in workshop management at an electronics factory in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, earning no less than 8,000 yuan a month. That year, when he returned home with his family of four for the Spring Festival, he heard that growing tobacco at home had been quite profitable in recent years. He therefore resolutely gave up his management position at the electronics factory and decided to make something of himself back home.   Because Shaba Village is a typical steep-slope, ravine-filled area with more dry land than paddy fields, poor road access, and harsh conditions, Xiao Yaosheng decided in 2013, with coordination from the village committee and tobacco leaf authorities, to plant 140 mu of flue-cured tobacco on a mountainside area called Qinglongzui.   Qinglongzui was locally known for its poor conditions, dangerous terrain, and lack of road access. Above it lies Liaojiashan in Hong'an Village at an elevation of 1,500 meters, and below it connects to the Zitang group along the Shaba River. To reach the tobacco fields at Qinglongzui, it was necessary to build a 1.5-kilometer farm road branching off from the existing access road, with an estimated cost of at least 60,000 yuan. Once completed, this road would not only open up a convenient route between Shaba and Hong'an, but also make it easier for local villagers to farm in Qinglongzui in the future. After Xiao Yaosheng repeatedly visited Shaba Village and Hong'an Village to seek support from the relevant people in charge, the two villages, recognizing his sincerity, each agreed to contribute 10,000 yuan toward the road. Xiao then organized the residents of the Zitang group to raise another 20,000 yuan, while he personally put in 20,000 yuan from his savings earned over years of migrant work. Under his leadership, those with money contributed money, and those without money contributed labor. In less than a month, they completed the 1.5-kilometer road into the tobacco-growing area. At last, the access road the local villagers had hoped for over generations was open to traffic. Thinking of how the days of carrying loads on their shoulders and backs would soon be gone, adults and children alike cheered with joy.   In 2013, however, the weather was uncooperative. Due to persistent drought, the flue-cured tobacco Xiao Yaosheng planted at Qinglongzui suffered from drought damage. In addition, as a beginner, his tobacco-growing skills were not yet up to par and his management was lacking. After deducting all inputs, he ended up losing more than 10,000 yuan.   When he got home, his wife insisted on going out to work, and even the children seemed unwilling to pay attention to him. At the time, he felt deeply conflicted. All his lofty ambitions had been struck down at once, and the savings he had earned through years of hard work had vanished just like that. The pain he felt was beyond words.   At the end of November 2013, while I was in the countryside organizing a flue-cured tobacco production publicity meeting for tobacco farmers in Shaba Village, I had the good fortune to meet this farmer, Xiao Yaosheng, at the village committee office. He was about my age, around 1.72 meters tall, clearly slim and lanky, with big eyes and an energetic warmth about him. His voice was loud, and he handled things briskly and decisively. From our first meeting, there was an unspoken sense of rapport between us, and we immediately thought well of each other. He said, “Brother Wang, although I lost money growing tobacco last year, I can accept it. At the very least, I did something real for the people in my hometown by getting the road to Qinglongzui built. Even if I stop growing tobacco in the future, the people back home will still have a much easier time getting up there to work.” Xiao Yaosheng spoke with great composure. After a brief conversation, I understood his situation from the previous year and then told him about our plans and policies for 2014. He immediately decided to stay on and continue growing tobacco.   At the beginning of the year, we had arranged a planned area of 100 mu for him. By late March, however, due to the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration's strict control over total contract volume, and in order to reduce the risk of overproduction, we advised farmers with sufficient land area to switch part of their acreage to other crops. After our client manager explained the relevant policy to him, he said nothing and went straight to neighboring Meitan County to buy more than 2,000 yuan worth of chili pepper seeds, planning to use the tobacco fields that had already been fertilized and covered with mulch for chili planting instead. But things were truly unfortunate: not a single one of the chili seeds he bought sprouted. He had purchased fake seeds, and as a result more than 20 mu of his reserved tobacco land lay wasted for an entire season.   Later, we all felt somewhat sorry toward him, so the day after the Dragon Boat Festival I went to his home.   “I'm sorry, brother. You've suffered losses again this year,” I said as soon as I walked in.   “Brother Wang, you're underestimating me too much! It's not as if I don't understand the situation your tobacco company is in. When have you ever let us tobacco farmers take a loss? This year the higher authorities adjusted the structure and set red lines, and I completely understand. I grow tobacco partly to make money and support my family, but more importantly to help people in my hometown learn how to grow tobacco and become prosperous. Besides, my tobacco is growing very well now. As long as I manage it properly and there are no problems with curing, I'll make at least more than 100,000 yuan,” Xiao Yaosheng said proudly. The farmer before me was just that broad-minded and free-spirited, never dwelling on details.   The annual tobacco leaf purchasing season was approaching again. On August 16, 2014, I went to Xiao Yaosheng's home once more. Inside, I saw bundles of golden-yellow tobacco leaves stacked neatly in order. Several women were chatting and laughing as they carefully sorted and graded the freshly cured leaves. And on Brother Xiao's face was an indescribably happy and welcoming smile, full of joy and excitement.   “Ha, brother, the tobacco's been cured well. You're making good money this year!” I said to Xiao Yaosheng as soon as I entered.   “Heh, if you don't say it's good, then who will? But judging from the current situation, it's looking pretty good. Sorting the leaves is a bit slow right now. I just went up to the village to find people to do the initial grading, but labor is hard to find because many households have gone out for work. Still, please rest assured: I will definitely follow the tobacco department's requirements and do a good job with structural adjustment before delivering the tobacco leaf to storage. I absolutely won't cause you any trouble at all—otherwise I wouldn't be Xiao Yaosheng,” he said steadily.   After a slight pause, Xiao Yaosheng went on: “Let me tell you, I've already picked out next year's tobacco fields. As soon as I finish selling this year's crop, I plan to start preparing the land and plowing it over. To be honest, I don't plan to go work elsewhere anymore. As long as you're willing to work hard, growing tobacco at home is much easier than working outside. You can make money and also take care of your family and children. Looks like I'll be dealing with you for quite a while yet!” Before I could respond, he had already eagerly laid out his plans for the next year.   Thinking it over carefully, Xiao Yaosheng's words did make sense. It seemed his determination to put down roots in his hometown and grow tobacco had grown even stronger.  #p#分页标题#e#