City gets a boost from citrus

The construction project of a citrus planting and processing technology extension demonstration base in the Three Gorges Reservoir area is not only the follow-up planning project from the Three Gorges in 2016, but also the key project of industrial structure strategic adjustment in Zigui county of Yichang city, Central China’s Hubei province.

Citrus industry is a key pillar in Zigui county, as it has formed an industrial development pattern in which different varieties of oranges are listed all year round.

Through the construction project of citrus planting and processing technology promotion demonstration base, Zigui county aims to transform its citrus resource advantage into an industrial development advantage, build the whole citrus industry chain, promote the transformation and upgrading of the agricultural products processing industry and contribute to a comfortable life for villagers who have moved from the Three Gorges Reservoir area.

Driven by the project, Qu Gu Food Co., Ltd., a leading enterprise in the citrus industry in Zigui county, has developed orange cakes, orange rice-pudding, shredded orange peels and other highly processed products based on the original citrus processing industry.

With the promotion of the citrus processing industry, the packaging, logistics and service industry have developed rapidly, realizing the multi-directional development of the industry in Zigui county.

Under the implementation of the project, the citrus processing industry of Qugu Food Co., Ltd. has benefited up to 5,000 people in Zigui County, including 3,000 residents who have moved from the Three Gorges Reservoir area.

It promoted the increase of per capita income by 350 yuan and the cumulative increase of citrus farmers' income by 1.75 million yuan. Elderly farmers in the citrus planting park can also engage in temporary labor production in Qugu Food Company, realizing the secondary distribution of labor force, with a monthly salary of more than 3,000 yuan, according to data from Qugu International Agricultural Group.

The project advances the development of the local citrus planting industry and increases the forest coverage and reduces sediment into the Three Gorges Reservoir area.