Payzawat County in Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, is now China's largest plum producer, supported by targeted aid from Guangdong province. The county has 38,000 hectares of plum orchards, with an expected output of 410,000 metric tons in 2025, according to Wu Congying, head of Guangdong's aid work team.
Fresh plum preservation was a challenge for farmers in the past. Guangdong's programs have integrated research, education, and production, leading to the creation of a modern plum industrial park. Eight research teams in the park focus on product development, pest control, and other production issues. A cold-chain logistics system has been established across the county to improve storage and distribution efficiency.
"The abundant sunlight, along with trace elements like calcium, potassium, and selenium in land and water, creates an ideal environment for plum cultivation," said Dang Yu, Party secretary of the park's development service center. "The plums are rich in anthocyanins and vitamins, offering antioxidant and digestive benefits, making them highly popular among consumers."
At the industrial park's cold storage facilities, farmers sort, pack, and pre-cool freshly harvested plums before shipping nationwide in refrigerated trucks. Twenty-five enterprises in the county now produce 22 types of plum products, including juice, dried fruit, wine, and jam.
Guo Haijun, head of Kashgar Pagoda Anda Smart Agriculture, said the plum harvest season lasts nearly two months, with more than 300 farmers working daily at the company and earning over 200 yuan (US$27) per day. In 2024, the company purchased 3,000 tons of plums from local growers.
Currently, about 70% of Payzawat's plums are sold fresh, while the remainder are processed into value-added products. The county plans to expand its plum sector into a national-level modern agricultural cluster, aiming to create 100,000 jobs.
Source: ChinaDaily