Farmer strikes rich with sea buckthorn
Print Edition
Zhengxin, a 51-year-old farmer in Burqin County in northwest China鈥檚 Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has seen his life completely changed by a plant over the past few years. He calls it the 鈥渕oney tree.鈥
Sea buckthorn, a kind of shrub whose fruit is known for its richness in vitamin C, has brought him an annual profit of more than 500,000 yuan (US$72,500).
Before planting sea buckthorns in 2012, Li earned less than 50,000 yuan a year by planting forage and other crops. 鈥淚 never expected sea buckthorn to be my money tree,鈥 he said.
Six years ago, the county government began to encourage local farmers to grow sea buckthorn to increase their income. Li financed 200,000 yuan, most of it with debt, to sign a contract for 600 mu (40 hectares) of sea buckthorn in 2012, which was quite risky considering his financial situation at that time.
鈥淪ea buckthorn does not bear fruits in the first three years, during which I made almost nothing,鈥 he said.
Thanks to the supportive policy of Burqin County, which suffered from severe sandstorms, provides a subsidy of 200 yuan for each mu of sea buckthorn in the first three years, Li鈥檚 financial burden was greatly eased. Li now harvests tens of tons of sea buckthorn berries every year. As the soil and weather in the region are suitable to grow sea buckthorn, Burqin County has about 100,000 mu of the shrub.
鈥淔armers can earn a net income between 1,200 yuan and 1,500 yuan for each mu of sea buckthorn annually,鈥 said Wan Junmin, the head of the agricultural bureau of Burqin County.
The county government has also invited Huiyuan, China鈥檚 top juice maker, to purchase local farmers鈥 berries.
鈥淪ea buckthorn has not only become the cash cow for local residents, but also protected our county鈥檚 environment,鈥 said Wang Gangyi, head of the forestry bureau of the county.
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