Goji berries keep wolf from the door

In early June, goji berries - also known as wolfberries - were already hanging in bright red bunches amid green leaves, nearly a month earlier than usual, in the Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

At a 200-hectare plantation in Wuzhong's Hongsipu district, 22-year-old Zhao Meihua was one of more than 100 people busy picking the berries. Under the burning sun, each wears a kerchief to wipe away the sweat.

"Picking goji berries is not easy work," she said. "Besides the high temperature, we should also be careful as our arms and hands can get scratched by the thorny branches."