Shandong county's organic tomato crop defies winter chill

Right now, in the 12th month of the lunar calendar most regions are experiencing the coldest days of the year, but inside an organic fruit and vegetable base – located in Chengwu county, in Heze city in East China's Shandong province – it feels like spring.

Organic tomatoes in high-temperature greenhouses are being harvested after having reached their peak sales period. Farmhands are busy picking and moving thousands of kilograms of fresh produce every day to supply the market for the upcoming Spring Festival.

In recent years, Chengwu county has been focusing on its "green, high-quality and healthy" development – assisting towns and villages with a background in fruit and vegetable cultivation to transform their traditional strengths into commercial advantages.

The emphasis is on developing industries that produce pollution-free, green and organic fruits and vegetables. Overall, the effort is said to have significantly increased the incomes of local residents and injected new momentum into the region's rural vitalization. (Edited by Zhou Yunlai)

Villager Ma Chenghui proudly shows off organic tomatoes he grows. [Photo by Huo Shanhong for chinadaily.com.cn]

Villagers talk about their crops. [Photo by Huo Shanhong for chinadaily.com.cn]

A farmhand picks organic tomatoes inside a greenhouse. [Photo by Huo Shanhong for chinadaily.com.cn]

Organic tomatoes are put on a trailer, to transport later to various Spring Festival markets. [Photo by Huo Shanhong for chinadaily.com.cn]

The organic tomatoes from Chengwu county attract many urban residents, who come directly to the greenhouses to pick and buy them. [Photo by Huo Shanhong for chinadaily.com.cn]