The city of Datong, Northern China's Shanxi province, has invested 5.81 billion yuan ($930 million) to construct, rebuild or enlarge 71 agricultural leading enterprises by the first half year of 2014.

Agricultural leading enterprises play an essential role in the industrialization of agriculture, and are therefore important for the city's economy. The city has carried out a number of key projects to back up the development of companies in the sector in recent years, and tailored its policies to suit different companies' conditions.

Such projects include an annual production of 0.33 million tons of almond juice and 20,000 tons of almonds that have had their bitterness removed by Datong Lvyuan Company under Lulu Group (a company devoted to producing beverages made only from natural ingredients); a cattle farming project in the technological center of Xiajin Dairy company's Datong branch; a starch manufacturing project by Huajin Company with an investment of 120 million yuan ($19 million).