Yellow peach 'star' beefs up rural development in Huaxi

Villagers celebrate the yellow peach harvest. [Photo/WeChat account of Huaxi district]

At the Guizhou province peach tasting and peach variety exhibition held in August, "Aha Golden Peach", a variety of yellow peach from Jinshan village, stood out from the 57 peach varieties in the competition, winning first-place and becoming the "star" of this tasting event.

The growing peach industry in Jinshan village has not only boosted the rural economy but has also brought prosperity to local villagers.

To ensure that all yellow peaches in the 400-mu (26.67 hectares) peach orchard receive ample sunlight, Heyuan Agricultural Technology Co has adopted a combination of techniques during the peach tree planting phase. They used "wide-row planting, ridge cultivation, and agroforestry" methods, creating sufficient space for peach tree growth and ample sunlight exposure.

The second key is pruning – removing upright branches that might block the sunlight and shaping all peach trees into a Y-shape, which is more conducive to full sunlight exposure for the fruit.

The third key technique is to plant a specific type of grass that enriches the soil, nourishes the trees, and creates a symbiotic ecological effect.

These advanced cultivation techniques earned Jinshan village the title of "National Peach Industry Technology System Demonstration Base" in 2021.

In addition, benefiting from the natural spring of the nearby Aha Lake, the village's yellow peaches are visually appealing and flavorful.

Meanwhile, the company is strict in terms of the picking, sorting, and sugar content testing processes. Peaches affected by diseases or pests are composted into fertilizer and then returned to the soil for recycling, promoting ecological harmony and sustainable growth.

This year, "Aha Golden Peaches" are being sold in the market for 80 yuan ($10.99) per kilogram. Jinshan orchard's sales are expected to exceed 1 million yuan this year. The village uses a cooperative business model involving companies, farmers, village collectives, and research enterprises, ensuring a guaranteed income of 1,500 yuan per mu for villagers and sharing profits on top of that.

So far, the village's peach industry has cumulatively benefited over 300 local households, with an annual income increase of nearly 10,000 yuan per household.