Plum industry boosts Nandan's rural vitalization

Luofu town in Hechi's Nandan county has been focusing on developing characteristic industries in recent years to boost farmers' incomes and its rural vitalization efforts. Liyuan Eco-Industrial Park was recognized by Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region as a county-level demonstration area of modern characteristic agriculture.

To date, the planting area of plums in Luofu town is more than 10,000 mu (666.7 hectares), with a total output of more than 2 million kilograms, generating an average annual income of growers of more than 40,000 yuan ($5,977).

Local residents show the yellow wax plums grown in Tangding village, Luofu town. [Photo/Hechi Daily]

In order to improve the yield and quality of plums, Luofu town has carried out low-yield transformation and invited technical talents from Nandan county to the plum planting base. During their inspection visit, the fruit farmers were taught the techniques of shaping and pruning, grafting, soil testing and formula fertilization, physical control, as well as dwarfing, which has improved the yield by 30 percent per mu.

With the maturation of its plum industry, Luofu town has organized tourists to go to the plum planting base for sightseeing and picking, as well as promoted rural tourism with industrial development. At the same time, in order to expand the sales channels of plums, it has carried out sales promotions through new media, which have improved the popularity and brand influence of yellow wax plums.

Pan Zhihua, Party chief of Luofu town, said that the town has lifted more than 200 people out of poverty since last year and increased their family incomes  through plum planting.