Workers collect sea duck eggs at a plantation in Hepu county, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. ZHANG ZHUOWEN/XINHUA
NANNING — Villagers in Hepu county, in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, skillfully braid the stems of young Pachira aquatica, dubbed the "money tree", forming them into attractive shapes.
"My father taught me this technique back when I was a kid; now, I can finish one piece in 10 seconds and earn over 300 yuan ($41.55) a day," said Wu Zuoye, a young resident of Dazhuangjiang village.
"The braiding season can last for eight months a year, and for the rest of the time I can also help with raising seedlings and pruning to make more money."
In Hepu, Dazhuangjiang is known as an "affluent village".
"People from our village don't have to leave their hometown to seek jobs, as we have the money tree planting business," said Zhang Baoyu, the village's Party secretary.
Almost all families living in Dazhuangjiang now cultivate money trees. By the end of last year, the village boasted 320 hectares of planting area for the trees, with an annual output value exceeding 100 million yuan, according to Zhang.
Money tree planting offers a glimpse into the progress of Hepu's agricultural development. Based on its hilly, coastal terrain, the county has been developing rural industries with distinctive local features in recent years.
At a demonstration base for sea duck farming in Qunzhu village, thousands of ducks are raised for eggs. When the tide comes in, it carries small fish and shrimp. In a short time, they are diverted to some two dozen ponds on the waterfront and become a meal for the sea ducks.
"For us, the duck eggs are 'golden eggs'," said Zhong Shengqing, an employee of the base.
A worker braids the stems of young "money tree" at a plantation in Hepu. CHEN LUYUAN/XINHUA
The eggs are transported to a workshop in the county after collection. After pickling, baking and packaging, they become a well-known local specialty, pickled sea duck eggs.
The base was built jointly by Qunzhu village and Hetianbaolong, a food processing company. It not only benefits the villagers but also the wider sea duck egg business.
"In the past, we used to purchase duck eggs directly from villagers," said Long Haijun, an executive from Hetianbaolong. However, the varying quality and limited quantity of the eggs made it difficult for the company to operate.
Thanks to the base, it can now get high-quality sea duck eggs every day to maintain operational stability, Long said.
Besides the sea duck egg business, Hepu county has striven to develop its marine economy by promoting aquaculture such as fish farming. The total output of aquatic products in the county reached 509,400 metric tons last year, up 3.54 percent year-on-year.
Through support for rural industrial projects and talent, Hepu has upgraded its agricultural industry and has provided more job opportunities for residents, said Pan Xiaowen, director of the county's agricultural and rural affairs bureau.
- Indonesian International Student Learn to Sing Folk Songs with Guangxi's Internet Celebrity
- Over 20 Chinese and Foreign Dragon Dance Teams Gather in Qingxiu District, Nanning to celebrate Guangxi's Sanyuesan Festival
- Enterprises in Guangxi ride RCEP momentum to expand ASEAN market
- 'Money trees', sea duck eggs create jobs in Guangxi
- New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor achieves rapid development
- Modern agricultural technologies aid spring farming in Guangxi
Popular Videos
Hot comments
- China Life: Chinese women shine with She Power
- First apes at U.S. zoo receive COVID-19 vaccine made for animals, zoo official says
- Homemade curling videos trending in China
- Chinese F1 driver Zhou Guanyu says halo device saved his life after scary crash
- 86-year-old grandma in Hebei spends most her life on traditional cheongsam
- 16-year-old Chinese girl reaches summit of Mt. Qomolangma
- Asia is young!
- 6-year-old Chinese boy becomes youngest Rubik's Cube player for A-level
- Lantern Festival: A romantic celebration in China
- Nanning handles 60,000+ tons of aviation cargo in 2022
Top Reviews
- A tale of China's economic resilience should be retold
- China, US to deepen economic coordination
- Multiple indicators signal upward trend in Chinese economy
- Xi replies to letter from counter-terror police brigade
- Xi holds talks with Micronesian president
- Xi meets Russian foreign minister
- Xi, Lula send congratulatory letters to seminar between CPC, Workers' Party of Brazil
- Intensive China visits by ASEAN officials testament to closer ties
- Indonesian International Student Learn to Sing Folk Songs with Guangxi's Internet Celebrity
- Over 20 Chinese and Foreign Dragon Dance Teams Gather in Qingxiu District, Nanning to celebrate Guangxi's Sanyuesan Festival