Apples bring prosperity to villagers in SW China's Yunnan

A villager picks apples in Lijiazhuang villager group, Meixi village in Cangshanxi town, Yangbi Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Hu Zunhui)

Early ripening apples have come into season in Lijiazhuang villager group, Meixi village in Cangshanxi town, Yangbi Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, at an altitude of more than 2,300 meters.

In recent years, Lijiazhuang has explored a development model that brings together the Party branch, a cooperative, and farming households. It has introduced a shareholding cooperative system with unified planning and household-based management. This model has energized local farmers and driven the apple industry toward larger scale and higher standards. Today, "Lijiazhuang apples," known for their crisp sweetness and juiciness, are gradually building brand recognition.

The cooperative now tends 1,200 mu (80 hectares) of apple orchards, producing more than 1,300 tonnes annually. Average income for each member of the cooperative has surpassed 20,000 yuan (about $2,804) a year.

A villager smiles at an orchard in Lijiazhuang villager group, Meixi village in Cangshanxi town, Yangbi Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Hu Zunhui)

A villager picks apples in Lijiazhuang villager group, Meixi village in Cangshanxi town, Yangbi Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Hu Zunhui)

Photo shows tree branches laden with apples at an orchard in Lijiazhuang villager group, Meixi village in Cangshanxi town, Yangbi Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Hu Zunhui)

Photo shows tree branches laden with apples at an orchard in Lijiazhuang villager group, Meixi village in Cangshanxi town, Yangbi Yi Autonomous County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (People's Daily Online/Hu Zunhui)