Anhui farmers eye premium opportunities from prime porkers

Consumers with the ability to pay a premium for organic food are encouraging pig breeders in the mountains of eastern China's Anhui province to embrace new business opportunities that are expected to boost their incomes.

On a mountain about 1,000 meters above sea level, breeder He Xianglin has tapped a spring with "really sweet" water that he funnels through bamboo pipes to his pig farm about 100 meters to the south.

Around 120 sows and dozens of newborn black piglets drink the spring water and eat cabbages and turnips He also grows on the mountain slope, irrigated by the spring and fertilized with pig manure.