Nandan persimmons bring wealth to local community A farmer lays out persimmons for sun-curing. [Photo by Fu Longqiang/hcwang.cn]

A couple in Nandan county, Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, have provided employment for over 100 farmers and low-income families with a persimmon cultivation project.

Zou Weijian and his wife, Long Yanping, rented over 1,600 mu (106.67 hectares) of barren mountains in Manjuan village, Liuzhai town, in 1993. They then started to operate Nandan County Bading Manjuan Horticultural Specialized Cooperative to grow high-quality seedless persimmons.

The cooperative has employed people from 31 poverty-stricken local families and distributed monthly wages on time. Eighty more people are also hired as temporary workers in busy seasons with daily pay and a free lunch.

Farmers move mature persimmons for sun-curing at Nandan County Bading Manjuan Horticultural Specialized Cooperative. [Photo by Fu Longqiang/hcwang.cn]