Le Shou Agricultural and Pastoral Group: "Little Ducks" Bring a Better Life

Changcheng Net News (Reporters Dai Qing, Cui Shang) — Early in the morning, the rising sun bathes the poultry sheds north of Tanzhuang Village in Nanhetou Township, Xian County, casting a warm glow. Accompanied by the cheerful chirps of young ducklings, the scene paints a vibrant and lively rural landscape. "My wife and I have been raising ducks for six or seven years now," says farmer Miao Naihong with a smile. "We manage one shed housing 4,000 ducks, and we typically raise 6 to 8 sheds annually, earning roughly 50,000 yuan." In recent years, Xian County has taken a proactive approach to poverty alleviation by focusing on developing the local duck farming industry. By adopting a model that links leading enterprises with farming bases, individual breeders, and impoverished households, the county has successfully scaled up its meat duck production, helping local farmers escape poverty and improve their livelihoods.

Scene 1: Farmers Herding Ducks Toward a Better Life    

59-year-old Miao Naihong is a person with disabilities who has struggled to find stable employment due to mobility issues in his legs and feet. Along with his wife, Tan Xinling, he manages by farming small plots of land while taking on odd jobs—life remains tight and financially challenging for the couple.

In 2014, the couple Miao Naihong heard about Hebei Leshou Duck Industry Co., Ltd.'s initiative encouraging farmers to raise ducks. They borrowed money from various sources and managed to gather 110,000 yuan to build a duck shed. "On the very first night after the ducklings arrived, my spouse and I were pretty busy—lighting the stove to warm up the shed and making sure the little ducks had water and food," Miao Naihong recalled. "For the next 40-odd days, we basically just needed to feed them two or three times a day." He added that the company follows a "five-unified" profit-linking model—providing unified ducklings, feed, disease prevention measures, technical guidance, and centralized processing—which allows farmers like him to raise ducks with zero risk, giving him a real sense of security.

By raising ducks, farmer Miao Naihong has found a path to prosperity. Photo by reporter Dai Qing

Right next to Tanzhuang Village, the Nanhanzhuang Village stands out with its 26 strikingly visible duck sheds. "Look, these are our newly built prefab duck houses, equipped with fully automatic manure scrapers and drinking fountains. Outside the sheds, there’s even a feed tank capable of storing 10 tons of feed—so even feeding can be done at the touch of a button," excitedly shares 69-year-old farmer Han Qingzhong.

Nanhanzhuang Village has a total of 126 households and more than 540 residents. In 2013, with the support of the village-stationed work team, the village’s appearance underwent significant improvements. "The village looks much nicer now—now if only we could help everyone get rich, that’d be even better!" said Han Qingzhong, the village official at the time. After careful consideration, he took the lead in building duck sheds for the villagers.

It pays off in the first year, and by the second year, profits start rolling in. Thanks to Han Qingzhong's leadership, 12 households in the village have eagerly joined the duck-farming initiative—and now, everyone is enjoying a much better life.

Now 41 years old, Han Zhanjie has already built three sheds and is raising 14,000 ducks, earning a steady income of over 200,000 yuan each year. "By the third year of duck farming, I was able to buy a car. Now, I’m planning to renovate our old house, and once my son graduates from college, I’ll help him make a down payment on an apartment. When we have some free time, I head out fishing, while my wife enjoys shopping in town—life is truly comfortable and fulfilling," Han Zhanjie said happily.

Scene Two: Tertiary Industry Integration Creates More Job Opportunities

Slaughtering, plucking, cleaning, and shaping—each meat duck undergoes meticulous processing, transforming into a ready-to-roast duck carcass that soon makes its way to renowned Peking duck restaurants across the country, delighting consumers with its culinary excellence. Meanwhile, with the successful hosting of the "2nd China Peking Duck Summit Forum," Xian County’s meat duck industry has earned nationwide recognition and acclaim.

After years of development, Xian County Leshou Duck Industry has centered on its signature duck-based products, creating a fully integrated, multi-sector industrial chain that spans primary, secondary, and tertiary activities—including raw material cultivation, feed processing, breeding of parent ducks, meat duck farming, slaughtering and carcass preparation, cooked-food processing, cold-chain logistics, and a network of连锁餐饮 stores.

As a national-level leading enterprise, Leshou Duck Industry fully leverages its industry chain advantages to introduce tailored poverty alleviation strategies for different stages of the production process. For instance, it prioritizes leasing land from impoverished households, enabling them to both boost their income and gain flexible employment opportunities. Additionally, the company purchases corn grown by local farmers at prices higher than market rates. It also implements a "Five Unifications" model, ensuring risk-free duck farming for breeders. Furthermore, during activities like duck carcass processing and feed handling, the company creates numerous job opportunities for nearby villagers.

In the duck carcass production workshop, workers are diligently carrying out their tasks in an orderly manner. Photo by reporter Dai Qing

Thirty-eight-year-old Ding Junning and his wife, Liang Xiang, live in Qilizhuang Village, Leshou Town, Xian County. Both work at Leshou Duck Farm—one as a loader/unloader, the other as a material handler—earning nearly 10,000 yuan combined each month.

“Our village is just two li away from the factory, making it super convenient to commute. We enjoy five social insurances, paid public holidays, and our wages are always paid on time—never late. Plus, if we’re recognized as ‘model employees,’ we even get extra bonuses. Honestly, we’re pretty content with our situation,” Liang Xiang said.

Over the years, Ding Junning and his wife have used their savings to support both sets of parents and fund their two children's education. Four years ago, they took out a loan in the county town to buy a 117-square-meter apartment, and now their lives are steadily moving toward a brighter future.

Scene Three: The young couple is running their Peking duck restaurant with great success.

To help more people embark on the path to prosperity, Leshou Duck Industry has also launched the "100 Cities, 1,000 Stores, Million-Person Entrepreneurship Dream Plan," aiming to establish 3,000 to 5,000 franchised stores within three to five years.

"Hello, welcome!" On Beihuan Road in Xian County's urban area stands "Le Shou Yu Fang," a roast duck restaurant owned by Du Chong and Li Hailin, a couple in their 30s. In the year since they started their business, the two have built their own thriving enterprise—thanks to their hard work and warm, customer-focused service.

Du Chong, 36, and Li Hailin, both natives of Xian County, previously worked odd jobs and even dabbled in the restaurant business—always on the lookout for an entrepreneurial opportunity. Last year, they heard about the chance to franchise the "Le Shou Yu Fang" roast duck shop and decided to give it a shot. With strong support from the company, the pair quickly handled everything from selecting a location and overseeing the renovations to providing staff training—and soon after, they were ready to open their doors. After a brief trial run, the small store officially kicked off operations on April 23, 2020. "Now, we sell an average of more than 30 roasted ducks each day, with even higher numbers on weekends," Li Hailin shared.

With the company’s comprehensive support—from raw materials and packaging to cutting-edge technology—the young couple now has peace of mind, allowing them to focus entirely on running their business. Over the past year, they’ve already recouped their initial investment and are now starting to turn a profit.

“Le Shou Duck is the largest roasted duck carcass producer in China, offering consistently high-quality products backed by a reliable supply of premium raw materials. ‘We sell with confidence, so people can enjoy our products with peace of mind,’ said Du Chong.”

For his wife, Li Hailin, opening the Peking duck restaurant not only provided her with a steady income but also gave her more free time to enjoy. "Now, I can personally pick up and drop off my daughter every day, spend quality time helping her with her studies, and watch her grow—things that truly make me feel happy!"

Currently, Leshou Yufang Roast Duck franchise stores have expanded to over 140 locations across China, spanning provinces and cities such as Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Henan, Shaanxi, and Fujian.

Li Hailin expertly packed the Peking duck for customers on the spot. Photo by reporter Dai Qing

In recent years, Xian County has diligently implemented the industrial development guidelines of "One Industry per County, One Specialty per Township, and One Product per Village," focusing on a poverty alleviation strategy centered around "one duck, one jujube; one fat pig, one shelter; and one plank supporting entire communities." By nurturing leading enterprises, establishing key agricultural bases, and connecting farmers directly to these initiatives, the county is steadily scaling up and effectively putting its industry-based poverty alleviation efforts into practice.

“Xian County has been expanding the reach of its poverty alleviation efforts through various approaches, including financial support, equity partnerships, land transfer and management services, employment opportunities for rural labor, and asset-based income generation—effectively boosting farmers’ incomes. Currently, the county has successfully developed specialized poverty-fighting industries such as meat ducks, live pigs, and melon/vegetable cultivation. By the end of 2020, impoverished residents had seen their per capita income increase by 2,212.7 yuan thanks to these thriving industry initiatives,” said a relevant official from Xian County’s Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Note: Reprinted from Changcheng Net [Striving Through a Century, Embarking on a New Journey • Working Together Toward Common Prosperity ⑪] Hebei Xian County: "Little Ducks" Bring a Better Life 》