Pomelo prospects pull urbanites to the farm

The explosive growth of the Majia pomelo industry in the city of Shangrao in East China's Jiangxi province is attracting would-be farmers from wide and far wanting to get in on the opportunities for prosperity.

Many of these "new farmers" are locals returning to their hometown of Shangrao, including Guangfeng district, such as Ning Bo.

Ning and his wife Feng Qiuyan returned to Guangfeng earlier this year after quitting their jobs in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province.

The couple were driven by the lure of the local Majia pomelo industry, which has doubled in planting area since 2016, and now exports its prized pomelos to countries such as the United Kingdom, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

With the influx of new farmers, Ning and Feng needed a unique selling point to attract customers, and so they have developed a pomelo-infused coffee and plan to focus on agritourism down the road.

Their orchard, which they began running in August, features its own farm cafe that sits beside rows of pomelo trees, where the rich aroma of coffee blends with the grove's fresh scent.

Like many young Chinese couples struggling with their careers and family, Ning and Feng made the decision to return not just for the farming, but also to care for their children and enjoy the slower pace of life.

"We wanted to solve our employment problem while being close to home," Feng said.

"I am quite fond of this juicy and low-sugar fruit ... But after further research, we found out that people outside hardly knew it. This very challenge inspired us to build a business around it."

The husband added: "Our concept is to use Majia pomelo as a theme for a co-created brand. We launched a specially blended coffee with the pomelo to attract young people. We hope to use our skills to push this hometown flavor to a broader market."

The couple's entrepreneurial spirit mirrors the broader long-term strategy of the city of Shangrao, which focuses on agricultural modernization and technical innovation.

Upgrades in orchard management are visible across Guangfeng district. At several smart farms, workers use drones for spraying and automated track systems for transport.

"The track system was installed last year and put into use this year," said Li Yufu, a transport worker at one farm. "In previous years the orchard produced just over 500 metric tons of pomelos; this year it will exceed 750 tons."

This technological leap directly translates into jobs and income. According to farm technician Zhou Tifu, 40 to 50 villagers are employed during the harvest season. "Those who work year-round can earn more than 30,000 yuan ($4,218) a year," he said.

Post-harvest handling has also been upgraded. Guangfeng's precision grading and testing center measures fruit size, weight and sugar content to ensure consistent quality for fresh sales.

Last year, intelligent sorting processed 28,500 tons of Majia pomelos, about 30 percent of the total output, and graded fruit achieved an average 22 percent price premium.

Listed in China's eight major pomelo varieties, the planting area of Majia pomelo in Guangfeng has reached 13,333 hectares, with an annual output of 250,000 tons and a comprehensive output value exceeding 3 billion yuan, according to official figures.

"From a small grove to a sea of orchards, from a single golden pomelo to a thriving industry, the Majia pomelo has truly become a 'fruit of prosperity'," said Gong Zhenzhou, Party secretary of the Guangfeng district committee of the Communist Party of China.

According to Gong, the pomelo industry in Guangfeng has generated 115,000 jobs and boosted the incomes of over 50,000 fruit growers — a significant contribution to the region's wider rural vitalization efforts.

While Feng focuses on attracting tourists to his orchards, other local enterprises are taking the fruit across borders.

"I returned from the UK after graduating in 2016 to engage in the Majia pomelo industry," said Xu Wen, general manager of Jiangxi Fengguang Biotechnology Co. "We started exporting in 2017, reaching markets in Italy, the UK, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Singapore."

Last year, the company exported nearly 100 tons of pomelos to the UK, while the total export volume reached nearly 2,500 tons.

For Feng and Ning, the journey has just begun. They outline a vision where farming and cultural tourism support one another.

"We are also exploring agritourism and educational activities," Ning said. "I hope to do my part to contribute to my hometown. And let more people taste the unique flavor of Majia pomelo."

Liu Chenxi in Nanchang contributed to this story.