Small Shandong village thrives on its pears

Located in the northern part of Guotun township – in Yanggu county in East China's Shandong province – Liyuan has gained a reputation for being a village that thrives and prospers on its pears.

A farmer checks out his pears in Yanggu county. [Photo by Wang Dongmin for chinadaily.com.cn]

With a total of 27 mature orchards and over 15,000 pear trees covering nearly 200 mu (13 hectares), the village has become a shining example of successful pear cultivation.

In recent years, nearly 30 households have become particularly prosperous as a result. One crucial factor contributing to this success is the plantation of an excellent variety known as the Qiuyue pear.

In 2002, Wang Fengxiang was elected as the Party secretary of the village. At the time, most struggled to make a living through farming and their incomes were meager. But Wang saw the potential for growth and decided to cultivate pears with the villagers.

In 2007, Wang and the village committee members explored different approaches and decided to improve the pear variety by cultivating  Qiuyue pears.

Nowadays the fruit farmers have turned their fruit into profits, located conveniently on their doorsteps. Not only have the villagers' wallets swelled, but every household has improved its living conditions. Overall, the quality of life of the villagers is getting better every year. (Edited by Jin Yongxue)