Huanjiang's mandarin bumper harvest alleviates poverty

Party members from the town of Si'en help farmers in Chenshuang village pick ripened Shatang Mandarins on Jan 11, 2018. The county has adopted a five-in-one working strategy that integrates the efforts of Party branch, cooperative, agricultural base, farm household and enterprises to help locals shake off poverty. [Photo by Chen Guangke/Hechi Daily]

The local mandarin industry of Hechi city's Huanjiang Maonan autonomous county has become a major pillar of the economy, lifting many people in the area out of poverty, thanks to both the hard work of the locals and governmental policies.

As in recent years, under the guidance and support of the county government, 45,000 mu (3,000 hectares) of Shatang Mandarins have been planted county wide, generating an annual output of 63 million yuan ($9.79 million).

This variety of citric fruit is named after its place of origin in Shatang, Guangdong. The fruit features a soft easy peel rind, which allows easy access to the sweet flesh inside, making it no surprise this variety has enjoyed widespread national popularity as wholesale prices have stayed around seven to eight yuan per kilogram.