Lotus project to be a new tourism highlight in Jinchengjiang

People in Balie village in Jinchengjiang district, Hechi have recently been busy planting lotus roots, aiming to build a lotus sightseeing scenic area of more than 300 mu (20 hectares).

The planting of lotus roots is one of the village's strategies to advance its industrial poverty alleviation agricultural sightseeing tourism project, which is included in the district's sightseeing tourism and agricultural projects along the Longjiang River.

The sightseeing scenic area is only 10 kilometers from the downtown area of Jinchengjiang district, and has the Jinchengjiang-Liujia Highway and several biking lanes running through it. With thick vegetation and a variety of wild animals, the scenic area is suitable for sightseeing at any time of the year.

Construction of the industrial poverty alleviation agricultural sightseeing tourism project started on Feb 29.

A total investment of more than 1.5 million yuan ($211,547.83) has been put into the building of the supporting infrastructure, including the roads, irrigation ditches, and flood discharge trenches.

Various functional areas will then be built up, covering lotus and fish farming, flower cultivation, fruit and vegetable picking, entertainment, as well as agricultural products sales.

It is expected to generate an income of 2,000 yuan for each mu through the sales of lotus seeds and fish, while the incomes of the village's collective economy and farmers will also see a growth, laying a good foundation for rural revitalization.

The planting of lotus roots is estimated to be finished by the end of March, and fish will be put in the lotus pond in June. When the lotus flowers bloom in August, the scenic area will become a new tourism highlight in Jinchengjiang district.

People in Balie village in Jinchengjiang district, Hechi are busy planting lotus roots. [Photo/Hechi Daily]