Villagers plant bletilla in Anlong county. [Photo/zgqxn.com] 

Farmers in Anlong county, Guizhou province are taking advantage of its climatic conditions by growing bletilla, a herb used as an ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

Bletilla is a more lucrative crop than conventional grains, and with China’s TCM industry set to expand internationally in the coming years, growers in the country have been quick to cash in.

“We can make 80 yuan ($11.60) each day and the work is not difficult,” said 60-year-old Pu Tianying, who works in a bletilla processing factory.

It is not the only herb suited to growing in Anlong’s moderate and very wet climate. Sustainable growing operations for more than 2,000 species of herbs can be found across the county, including reishi and gastrodia.

Bletilla has many functions within the scope of traditional medicine; it is used to stop bleeding and reduce swelling. However, the supply of the crude medicine is far from enough, thus, the county grasps the opportunity to meet the market demand.

The county plans to expand the growing area to 10,000 mu (666.67 hectares) by 2018 which is expected to provide jobs for 2,000 people. The allocation of this year’s growing area is 2,000 mu. 

Edited by Jacob Hooson