Explore tropical fruits, agricultural innovation in Shandong city

When standing within the greenhouses at the Jianzishan Planting Base in Xintai, a county-level city in Tai'an, Shandong province, it almost feels as if one is entering a different place. 

Here, the warm temperature is a stark contrast to the biting cold outside. The fruits found inside the greenhouses, which include grapefruit, loquat and mango, are also unique because they aren't typically planted in northern China.

Tropical fruit trees within the greenhouses at the Jianzishan Planting Base in Xintai. [Photo by Zhao Xiaoyu for chinadaily.com.cn] 

With the aid of technological and agricultural innovation, the Jianzishan Planting Base has successfully grown a dozen types of tropical fruits as part of a bold experiment. 

In addition to sightseeing, local residents can pick fresh fruits at the planting base, which has a 1,200 square meter workshop that produces 22 million yuan ($3.06 million) worth of freeze-dried products that are sold on e-commerce platforms every year.

Several rose gardens and 26 greenhouses for fruits have been built at the Jianzishan Agricultural Tourism Demonstration Zone over the years. These facilities combine emerging agricultural businesses like sightseeing agriculture, leisure agriculture and scientific education, research and training, and have developed special agricultural products like rose cakes, rose essence dew and freeze-dried fruits and vegetables.

Other supporting entertainment and accommodation facilities, such as modern agricultural greenhouses, guesthouses and racecourses have also been introduced to drive high-quality rural vitalization. (Edited by Ding Yuanyuan)