Despite facing the challenges of tall mountains and poor transportation, Baise City in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has turned its rolling hills into an advantage, establishing itself as a celebrated mango cultivation hub.

Nestled among the mountains, Baise enjoys a warm subtropical climate that is ideal for growing tropical fruits such as mangoes. With advancements in agricultural technology and improvements in logistics and transportation, the mango industry has become a significant source of wealth for local farmers.

As summer arrives, Huang Baojia, a mango farmer from Dongli Village in Yufeng Township, has been immersed in the daily tasks of harvesting and selling mangoes. With 80 mu (about 5.34 hectares) of mango trees, he anticipates an income of around 500,000 yuan (about 69,969 U.S. dollars) this year.

"I've been cultivating mangoes for nearly two decades, and it has provided me with a stable income. My 20-year-old son, after graduating, has chosen to return home to farm mangoes instead of working in big cities," Huang said.

Liu Chengjun, Party secretary of Yufeng Township, said that the local government has invested over 32 million yuan to improve infrastructure, including irrigation systems, electricity and transportation. Local authorities have also procured facilities such as mango harvesting tracks, solar insect lamps and integrated irrigation and fertilization systems in Dongli Village.

Liu said the improvement of production conditions has led to a remarkable increase in both the yield and quality of mangoes. In 2023, the average household mango sales revenue reached 260,000 yuan.

"During the harvest season, distributors come directly to the fields to pick, sort and pack the mangoes, creating job opportunities for local residents," he added.

"Mangoes delivered to your home with free shipping!" At the Tianyang agricultural products wholesale market, the air is saturated with the fragrance of fruit. A variety of mango types are stacked high and ready to cater to the diverse preferences of consumers.

Cen Zhenge, director of Baise's fruit industry development center, said that efforts have been concentrated on technological research and development to improve the quality of mango varieties. Consequently, over 80 new technologies have been promoted, and numerous new varieties have been introduced to the city.

By the end of 2023, the total mango cultivation area in Baise had reached 1.37 million mu, with an annual output of 1.25 million tonnes. Baise is also actively advancing the deep processing industry of mangoes.

"Previously, about 80 percent of mangoes were sold fresh at standard prices, with the remainder either sold at reduced prices or discarded. Today, there are 14 mango processing enterprises in Baise City capable of processing over 300,000 tonnes of mangoes annually," Cen said.

In a workshop of a mango processing enterprise in Tianzhou Township of Baise, workers are diligently selecting and cutting fruit with the aid of mechanical equipment. Wang Bo, manager of the company, said that their main products include frozen mangoes, mango slices and mango sauce, with the annual processing volume reaching 30,000 tonnes.

Liu Yanli, on behalf of an agricultural technology company in Shenzhen, has recently signed an order with a Baise mango enterprise. Her company has also established an office in Guangxi to optimize the fruit supply chain.

"The logistics for Baise mangoes are very convenient, and many production bases can deliver orders instantly, which is exactly what we need," said Liu.