Villagers rise from poverty through the apples of their eye

It is hard to imagine that it would take 128 steps to grow apples, from planting to harvest. But in Gangdi village, North China's Hebei province, villagers adhere to strict and detailed procedures to produce high-quality organic apples and made apple growing a pillar industry to cast off poverty and pursue a prosperous life.

Gangdi village was a remote village surrounded by barren mountains and with and a per capita income of less than 80 yuan a year. Since the 1980s, the village initiate suitable development through managing barren hills, growing apple trees and making the Fugang organic apple a competitive brand.

Yang Zenglin is one of the beneficiaries of the village's booming agricultural industry.

"My family was very poor before, and I didn't make much money while working outside", he said, adding that he decided to return home to create his own business by growing apple trees.