Township in Shandong enjoys bumper pear harvest

It's September and harvest time has come for the pears in Changxingji township in Dongming county, located in East China's Shandong province.

To maintain the quality of the pears, growers use a protective method known as bagging, which prevents contamination and damage from pests and diseases while providing greater sunlight exposure to the pear trees.

This exposure enhances the sweetness of the pears and further improves their overall quality.

Locals pick ripe fruit wrapped in bags in the pear orchard. [Photo by An Ning for chinadaily.com.cn]

Cui Tongsui, one of the growers, said he has been cultivating pears for over six years with decent yields.

The abundant pear harvest generates economic benefits and creates more jobs for the nearby villagers. Each year, a significant workforce is required for pruning, bagging and harvesting in the pear orchards, typically involving 20-30 pairs of hands.

Besides developing high-quality pear cultivation, Changxingji township has established about 9,000 mu (600 hectares) of new farmland. This initiative is expected to encourage young people to return to their hometown and start businesses.

One of them is villager Xu Zhiyuan, who recognized the tremendous development potential of the township and decided to lease over 600 mu of land to grow red sorghum.

He said this year's sorghum harvest is expected to yield between 300-400 kilograms per mu. The sorghum will be sent directly to Maotai town in Southwest China's Guizhou province for liquor brewing. (Edited by Zhou Yunlai)