On October, Shangbaiyu village, Luozhuangzi town, Jizhou district ushered in the harvest season for Fojianxi pears.
The Fojianxi pear looks like an apple, has a round shape and a thin skin. It tastes sweet, juicy and tender. This kind of pear was originally called "Hongxiao" pear, and later was named "Fojianxi" by the Empress Dowager Cixi at the end of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) as it enjoyed popularity among royal families in the past.
Fojianxi pear [Photo/WeChat account: zhangshangjizhou]
Shangbaiyu village in Luozhuangzi town, known for its pleasant scenery and fresh air, was the home of the Xuehua pear. However, the purchase price of this type of pear was relatively low, which was the reason that most villagers chose to go looking for a job to earn more money.
In 2017, Shangbaiyu village decided to solve this problem. The staff of the village made investigations to find suitable pear varieties to plant according to the soil and climate of the village. Eventually, they focused on the Fojianxi pear and developed the industry for people to increase their income. In 2018, more than 8,000 pear seedlings were successfully planted, and 11,000 trees were successfully grafted.
Villager reaps Fojianxi pear [Photo/WeChat account: zhangshangjizhou]
This is the third year of the bumper harvest of Fojianxi pears. The production has doubled from the first year, with an output of 40,000 kg. Now the villagers are busy picking, packaging and transporting the fruits based on large orders.
Fojianxi pear has become the pillar industry of Shangbaiyu village. People's income has been increasing, thanks to the support through rural vitalization policies.