Desert county in NW China's Xinjiang succeeds in trial breeding of pearl oysters

Photo shows pearls cultivated by an aquatic product company in Qiemo county, located at the heart of the Taklamakan Desert in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo/Gong Yonghong)

At the breeding base of a seafood company in Qiemo county, located at the heart of the Taklamakan Desert in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, marine fish swim gracefully in shimmering breeding pools in the sun.

"In addition to marine fish, there are pearls at the bottom of the breeding ponds," said Gong Yonghong, chairman of the company.

In October 2023, Gong decided to develop seafood breeding in the county, bringing advanced seafood breeding techniques. Initially, his focus was mainly on marine fish farming, but as the operation progressed smoothly, he conceived the bold idea of cultivating pearls as a seafood byproduct. He introduced 2 million pearl oysters for trial breeding, and after four months, the oysters are thriving.

Pearls cultivated by the breeding base are expected to hit the market in the second half of next year.