After a detailed investigation of daylily plantations and sales channels across the country, Zhang decided to develop it back home.
With funding of 500,000 yuan ($72,500) he collected in various ways, Zhang founded a daylily planting cooperative, attracting 358 nearby farmers with 33.3 hectares of land.
Following Zhang and the cooperative, 766.7 hectares of farmland in Jijiazhuang have been planted in daylilies. The per capita income of local farmers increased from 2,600 yuan in 2017 to 5,500 yuan in 2021.
Zhang also registered a trademark for their daylilies and brought the products to various agricultural fairs across the country, which greatly helped promote the product's popularity among wholesalers and consumers.