Farmers in Wannian County, home of China’s freshwater pearls in Jiangxi Province, are making a small fortune through freshwater pearl farming, which has more than 40 years of history, China News reported on Nov. 14.

In recent years, the county has made great efforts to reduce poverty through development of the competitive industry. Over 4,000 farmers in the county are involved in the industry, producing more than 110 tons of freshwater pearls each year.