Liu Chaohui, a local agriculture technician, explained that the introduction of Sitedan brought significant benefits to the local farmers and markets. The seed has become a local favorite thanks to costing half as much and yielding 20 percent more. The cabbage fields now cover over 6,600 hectares.

The economic impact has been transformative. Ye Xiangsong, one of the earliest farmers to adopt the seed, said it has brought his family over 200,000 yuan ($27,280) annually.

Over 17,000 farmers have grown the vegetable, which contributed to the per capita disposable income reaching 24,432 yuan in 2023.

Guo Yanqi contributed to this story.