Date palm a 'fortune tree' for Xinjiang locals

The "A Date with China" international media tour group visited Makit county, known as the "capital of dates", in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

The arable land in the county's Yangtake township covers 169,000 mu, or 11,267 hectares, including 122,000 mu planted with high-quality dates. Each household cultivates an area of 13 mu of dates, on average, and makes about 4,000 yuan ($626) per mu. Earnings from dates represent more than 70 percent of the total income for farmers.

Considered the "fortune tree" by locals, the date palm plays a positive role in poverty alleviation.