The orchards of Wanshan District in Tongren City, Guizhou Province, are bustling as the annual pomelo harvest reaches its peak. Spanning more than 1,333 hectares and expected to yield around 13,000 tons, the crop has become a major source of rural income, transforming the bright, fragrant fruit into what locals call a "golden fruit of prosperity." Its success reflects the broader momentum of rural revitalization across the region.
To overcome the logistical challenges of harvesting in the mountainous terrain, local agribusinesses have introduced drones to transport freshly picked pomelos. Four drones, each operated by a two-person team, can collectively move up to 30 tons of fruit per day—roughly 20 times the capacity of manual transport. This year, the company's pomelo cultivation covers 400 hectares, with production expected to reach 2.5 million kilograms, nearly double last year's output, and generate revenue of about 15 million yuan.
Through China's east-west cooperation initiative, the company secured a long-term partnership with Guangzhou's grocery chain Qiandama, shipping 9,000 kilograms daily to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area since mid-November. Additional orders from e-commerce platforms and supply networks have added 460,000 yuan in sales. In 2024 alone, the business supported more than 2,600 households, created 1,300 jobs, and paid 11 million yuan in wages, making Wanshan pomelos a powerful engine of local development.
Source: news.cgtn.com
