In Weiyuan, strawberry farming offers hope for the future

At the intersection of the Tibetan and Loess plateaus lies Weiyuan county, an administrative district in Gansu province. Barrenness and droughts caused by its high altitude has cursed generations into a viscous cycle of poverty.

It's no longer the case, as local businesses especially the farming have benefited from new and innovative developments.

This year, a Taiwan business man Liu Zhaoxiang came to Weiyuan to develop a strawberry growing plantation. A cooperative of specialized farmers was set up by erecting 36 greenhouses with the climate control technology.

The venture has so far proved a success. Strawberry farmers have typically earned a gross income of more than 7,000 yuan ($1,032.57), dwarfing the salary of many other farmers in the region.

Yong Xiaolin, a farmer from Weiyuan county, Dingxi city, Gansu province, presents her strawberries on Oct 27. [Photo/Xinhua]

Yong juping, a local farmer from Weiyuan county, Dingxi city, Gansu province, picks up strawberries from her greenhouse on Oct 27. [Photo/Xinhua]

A local farmer from Weiyuan county, Dingxi city, Gansu province, installs an insulating layer on his greenhouse on Oct 27. [Photo/Xinhua]

Edited by Jacob Hooson