Cherry plantation brings prosperity to farmers

Cherries grow in Laiwu district, Jinan, Shandong province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Cherries, a signature produce of Laiwu district of Jinan, capital of East China's Shandong province, have been being cultivated in the district for over 300 years. They have increasingly become a beacon of agricultural transformation, a catalyst for prosperity among farmers, and a path to boosting rural development.

In the quaint village of Dawangzhuang in Laiwu district, a cherry orchard has become a bustling hub of activity, with visitors flocking to the area to pick cherries.

Many families are coming to pick cherries together. For Su Hui, the cherry grower at the orchard, this time of year is both busy and filled with happiness.

This is also true in Chayekou town, also located in the district, where the cherry trees are ripe for harvest.

Dong Tao, Party secretary of the town, said that through government initiatives, corporate involvement and rural household participation, the town is developing cherry cultivation and other distinctive agricultural and cultural tourism industries to help farmers increase their incomes. "By leveraging the Cherry Cultural Tourism Festival, we are fostering a platform for shared experiences and mutual development."

Since 2007, the Cherry Cultural Tourism Festival has been successfully held 16 times. The event combines ecological, leisure and sightseeing activities to extend the cherry industrial chain, enhance the added value of agricultural products, and introduce people to processed cherry products such as cherry wine, canned cherries, cherry juice, and more.

Statistics reveal that Laiwu district boasts a cherry cultivation area of about 893 hectares, yielding 7,737 tons of cherries with a production value of around 123.79 million yuan ($17.1 million) per year. (Edited by Yang Yi)