(Into the Chinese countryside) Selling fruits and "selling scenery" Camellia oleifera produces gold at the foot of China's Dabie Mountains

China News Service, Xinyang, Henan Province, November 10 (Reporter Han Zhangyun) In early winter, the camellia oleifera in Xinyang City, Henan Province, located at the northern foot of the Dabie Mountains in China, enters the season of camellia oleifera flowers and fruits.

The Camellia oleifera tree is evergreen all year round, the tea fruit can be squeezed for oil, and the camellia flowers can be viewed. Xinyang is an important producing area of ​​camellia oleifera. On the eve of the beginning of winter, most of the local areas have a good harvest of camellia oleifera fruits.

Gushi County, the “Central Plains Hometown of Overseas Chinese”, has a long history of camellia cultivation. At present, the county’s Camellia oleifera forest planting area is about 100,000 acres. In recent years, the local area has integrated idle mountain resources, unified planning, and continuous planting. The camellia oleifera industry has gradually developed into a pillar industry with local characteristics.

"Right now, the 6,000 acres of camellia oleifera forest in the village has entered its full harvest and high-yield period." Gui Xinzhou, secretary of the Party branch of Zhumachong Village, Fangji Town, Gushi County, said that the camellia oleifera not only makes the idle land "alive", but also bulges the pockets of the villagers.

"After more than ten years of development, we have transformed more than 3,000 acres of barren mountain farmland into high-yield and high-quality camellia oleifera forests." Wang Jin, head of the Oasis Camellia oleifera Professional Cooperative in Gushi County, said that the next step will be to create an integrated development model that integrates camellia oleifera planting, ecological breeding, and rural cultural tourism.

In Guangshan County, a camellia oleifera fruit was “eaten dry and squeezed clean”. Tea seeds are used to press tea oil, while tea shells and tea meal are used to extract tea saponin, which is then used to produce cosmetics and feed. The annual output value of the entire camellia industry chain in the county reaches 1.15 billion yuan (RMB, the same below).

From selling fruits to "selling scenery", the camellia oleifera industry also allows villagers to enjoy "cultural tourism meals".

Currently it is the Camellia oleifera blooming season, and a large number of foreign tourists come to Guangshan to enjoy the flowers. Hubei tourists Zhao Fang and her family made a special trip here to experience the local customs of the Dabie Mountains. "For the first time, I saw the sea of ​​camellia flowers in early winter. The flowers are white and the leaves are green, full of vitality, and it makes people feel comfortable."

Chen Gongbin, general manager of Guangshan County Xintiandi Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd., said that during the fresh fruit picking season, about 400 people are employed every day; during the flower viewing season, the number of tourists in a single day can reach up to 10,000, which also drives the business of surrounding farmhouses and the sales of local products such as noodles, tea, and medicinal materials.

Today, the Camellia oleifera planting area in Xinyang City exceeds 1.64 million acres, with an annual output value exceeding 5 billion yuan. Data from the Henan Provincial Forestry Bureau shows that since 2019, the province’s 700,000 acres of newly planted Camellia oleifera forests have all used improved varieties, and 490,000 acres of low-yield forests have been transformed. The average yield of Camellia oleifera fruit per mu has increased from 380 kilograms to 669 kilograms.