Taigu county in Jinzhong city in Shanxi province will introduce a granadilla fruit planting project from Xiamen in East China's Fujian province -- according to a partnership agreement signed between Shanxi Juxin Weiye Agricultural Technology Co and Xiamen Runlong Biotechnology Co on Dec 3. 

Four granadilla varieties from the Xiamen company will be planted for trial in four greenhouses covering around 5,330 square meters in the county, with planting starting between Dec 8 and mid-December. 

It is expected that granadilla grown in Taigu county will be marketed in July 2020 and the annual net income will exceed 4,500 yuan ($637) per 100 sq m.

Shanxi Juxin Weiye Agricultural Technology Co is an agricultural tech business integrating special agricultural cultivation, professional vegetable seedling growing and the leisure picking sectors. 

Xiamen Runlong Biotechnology Co has advantages in the research and development of granadilla and thornless edible roses. 

Officials said that in line with market guidelines, the former will provide greenhouses and be responsible for personnel, capital, and logistics.

The other company will be responsible for the selection of trial varieties, seedlings, technical guidance for planting management and sales and processing of the products. 

"We chose Taigu county because of its sound agricultural foundation, great potential market space and good investment environment," said Chen Jiancheng, chairman of Xiamen Runlong Biotechnology Co. 

Next, the two companies will also establish seedling breeding bases, carry out technical training and expand planting centers in the county. 

They will also expand to grow more than 333,333 sq m of granadilla by 2021 and develop 66 sq km of granadilla in three to five years, so as to make the granadilla industry a special sector with a major scale in Shanxi province.

A new edible rose variety from Xiamen Runlong Biotechnology Co was also introduced, according to the agreement.