Chrysanthemums bring wealth to Shandong's county

As winter settles in, the vibrant splash of color from chrysanthemums lights up more than 20 mu (1.33 hectares) of fields in Dongming county, located in Heze city in East China's Shandong province.

This breathtaking display has become a hotspot for tourists seeking a picturesque setting to capture memories.

A couple takes a photo together amid the chrysanthemums. [Photo by Wang Zihan for chinadaily.com.cn]

In a bid to boost the local tourist industry and the incomes of residents at the same time, the county has introduced a number of key initiatives over the past two years.

For instance, it established an agricultural development cooperative in 2022. The cooperative has promoted a smart crop rotation strategy that alternates between wheat and chrysanthemums to fully utilize its land resources.

In addition, the chrysanthemum cultivation, from management to harvesting and sales, is unified under the leadership of the cooperative to improve work efficiency. Thanks to this, the profit per mu is expected to reach 4,000-5,000 yuan ($559-$699) this season. (Edited by Zhou Yunlai)