??? JIAONAN has sold nearly 20,000 tons of potatoes for 0.6 yuan per 500 gram, much higher than potato prices in other areas. ??? “We signed a contract with Pepsi in the United States earlier this year. No matter what the market price is, they will buy from us at this price,” said Gao Sijian, president of a potato processing plant in Jiaonan. ??? Pepsi bought 135,000 tons of potatoes for the plant last year and this increased to 180,000 tons this year. ??? “It is very easy to work with this large contract buyer. They provided us with seed and fertilizer, so we don’t have to worry about these things. The collaboration has increased our income by 30 million yuan in total,” Gao said. ??? Meanwhile, McDonald’s in Beijing also signed a contract with a fruit and vegetable base in Jiaohe. “In the future, the tomatoes you eat at McDonald’s in Beijing will be grown by us,” said Wang Hanshun, an official at the base. ??? “We are now promoting cooperation between companies and farm bases. It can help protect farmers’ rights and increase their incomes,” said an agriculture department official in Jiaonan. ??? (Wang Yuanyuan, Han Guangliang) | 