On one side, there are barren mountains. On the other, in many orchards, the fruits are ripening. This is most people's impression of the Guangxi citrus industry. More and more talent, money, and agricultural materials are flooding into the land. But what could the Guangxi citrus industry develop into? Will the market become saturated? Will the industry be destroyed by the greening disease (Huang Long Bing)?
The cultivation bases of citrus in Guangxi
According to the statistics on the official website of China's agricultural department, by the end of 2015, the cultivation area of citrus had reached 4.99 million mu, ranking in third place in China (Hunan 5.73 million mu, Jiangxi 4.99 million mu, Guangdong 4.57 million mu). The production volume is 5.19 million tons, ranking the first place in China.
Why has the scale of the Guangxi citrus industry expanded so quickly?
Guangxi citrus
Firstly, recently, the number of cultivation areas of citrus in Guangdong has sharply shrunk from 4.35 million mu in 2011 to 3.82 million mu in 2012 because of the citrus greening (Huanglongbing).
Secondly, the economic benefits have improved. New cultivation areas have continuously appeared. The Sugar orange (Sha Tang Ju) is the citrus variety which has had the fastest growth, the largest cultivation areas and the highest production volume in the last 20 years in Guangxi.
Thirdly, the import of Wo gan (Wo citrus). As a late-maturing variety, since it was first imported in 2012, the development speed of the Wo citrus in Guangxi, or even China, has been surprising, leading to a further expansion of cultivation. The improvement in living standards and the strong promotional efforts of the government are both important reasons which have led to the citrus industry climbing to this peak.
Source: ncw365.com