Life is peachy for growers in Kuandian

Premium peaches are completely changing village life in Liaoning's Kuandian Manchu autonomous county.

After enjoying brisk online sales for local peaches last year, Wang Zhongwu has already been in contact with producers across the county that faces the Democratic People's Republic of Korea across the Yalu River.

"I'm planning to help them sell their produce to outside areas," said Wang, who comes from Hekou village in Changdian town. "Business has been good since I started in late August last year. A single peach sells for 8 yuan ($1.20), and buyers consider them worth the price."

An unusually mild climate, which keeps the water from freezing in the winter, has made the village the northernmost location in the country where peaches can be grown.

Three decades ago, farmland accounted for less than 3 percent of Hekou. The rest of its land was mountainous and grew limited cash crops.

In 1989, the village introduced the Yanhong peach, which has since evolved into the pillar of local agriculture.

Bred by the Beijing Academy of Forestry and Pomology Sciences, the variety was grafted onto existing peach trees in the village.

As each Yanhong peach can weigh over half a kilogram, local authorities encouraged the villagers to plant more peach trees.

Now, Hekou is home to 667 hectares of peaches and produces 50,000 metric tons of fruit a year, with a value of 152 million yuan ($22.77 million).

According to Ding Yi, Party secretary of Changdian, just over half the villagers grow peaches, and growers have made more than 100,000 yuan over the years.

Thanks to local authorities, fruit traders no longer knock on village doors in their search for peaches. Instead, villagers have tapped into online platforms, including Taobao and Douyin, to find additional buyers.

"The best thing about online sales is that it has greatly raised the price of our peaches," Ding said.

Hekou peaches now generally sell for around 8 yuan per kg as opposed to less than 6 yuan before.

"Growers don't have to leave home to sell their peaches all over the country, even as far as Shenzhen in Guangdong province, Hong Kong and Taiwan," he added.

In April 2021, Kuandian's commerce department worked with the Changdian government and the Kuandian e-commerce association to upgrade Yanhong peach orchards and increase online sales.

Wang's household was one of those chosen to be model planters.

"Model households have to record growth and carry out strict soil management in terms of the use of pesticides and fertilizer," said Jiang Yuhan, the official in charge of the Kuandian e-commerce association.

For example, the number of fruits on a single tree must be limited to between 150 and 200 to guarantee the best size and weight of each peach, and sticky cards and traps are used to catch pests and cut down the use of pesticides.

In September, staff from the Liaoning branch of the China Certification and Inspection Group conducted random tests in model orchards, and the results showed that the taste and appearance and color of the peaches have improved significantly. In particular, sweetness levels now stand at 16 percent.

Model orchards also produced about 25,000 kg of premium Yanhong produce, and authorities have engaged in livestreaming and produced short videos to promote the fruit.

The fame of the Yanhong peach and its blossoms have brought many visitors to Hekou. The village received over 100,000 travelers a day over the past few Labor Day and National Day holidays.

The local authorities have also made a point of integrating eco-agriculture with tourism by developing rural homestays.

Wang said he also plans to sell other local produce online this year.

"We have many specialties, like freshwater fish, blueberries and chestnuts," he said.

Zhang Tongtong contributed to this story.