Cherry festival opens in Dalian

Cherries ripe for harvest in Lushunkou district. [Photo/WeChat account: gh_b114addbb84f]

The 2018 Dalian Lushunkou Cherry Festival opened at Jiyuan Cherry Orchard in Lushunkou district on June 1.

The festival will run for 45 days until July 15. During the event, a series of promotional events, online sales, picking activities and cherry exhibitions will be held to promote the local agriculture and tourism industries.

Twelve new suggested routes for touring the local area will be promoted during the festival. A total of 39 orchards, together with rural restaurants, hotels with hot springs and scenic spots in the district, are available for tourists to relax and unwind.

Lushunkou boasts a long history of growing cherries. It is one of the best cherry planting areas in China, due to its ideal climate. At present, there are more than 100 cherry orchards, with a total planting area of 6,803.4 hectares. Annual output can reach 30,000 metric tons.

In recent years, the government of Lushunkou district has put much emphasis on the development of modern agriculture. The cherry plantation has greatly increased farmers’ incomes.

The district will continue to improve the competitiveness of its cherries in the high-end market and increase the added value of its products.

A tourist picks cherries at an orchard in Dalian, North China’s Liaoning province, during this year’s cherry festival which started on June 1. [Photo by Wang Zhongcheng]

A boy picks cherries at an orchard in Dalian, North China’s Liaoning province, during this year’s cherry festival which started on June 1. [Photo by Wang Zhongcheng]