The remote Yangxiang town's farm and sideline products have made more than 50,000 yuan ($ 8,053) monthly in online sales since March.
Yixing has more than 500 online businesses involved in agriculture, with annual sales around 100 million yuan, according to local agriculture and forestry departments.
"Young people are rarely willing to do online business in rural areas, therefore, there are short of professionals. However, things are getting better," a staffer from a local commercial department told reporters.
The native Zhou Honglian set up an online company, specializing in local specialties, with friends after graduating in 2013. They built long-term cooperative relationships with local farmers.
Nowadays, more young people like Zhou get into online business on Tmall and Alibaba to sell farm and sideline products, such as tea and crabs. Some even sell products on WeChat, now China's biggest instant messaging platform.
The southern mountain area of Yixing, rich in mountain products, has improved the conditions of storage and delivery. Visitors can order online, as well as receive discounts.
This county-level city of Wuxi will cultivate 100 online businesses with annual sales of 5 million yuan or more, three online platforms with annual sales of 200 million yuan and four online business agglomeration areas in the next five years, said a director of the local commerce bureau.
