Jasmine industry brings prosperity to villages in Guangxi’s Hengzhou

Photo shows jasmine flowers in a garden in Hengzhou, southwest China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. (Photo/Wu Mingjiang)

Hengzhou city in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region has improved local people’s lives by taking vigorous steps to develop the jasmine industry and jasmine-related sectors in recent years. Last year, the per capita disposable income of urban and rural residents reached 36,684 yuan (about $5,683.7) and 16,253 yuan, respectively.

Hegui village is a typical example of these efforts. Once plagued by poverty, it shook off poverty by establishing a demonstration zone of jasmine industry-driven poverty alleviation. “The impoverished households got rid of poverty two years after they started working in the jasmine industry,” said Meng Zhenjin, secretary of the general branch committee of the Communist Party of China in Hegui.

Similarly, Tanwen village has led its residents to a wealthier life by growing potted jasmine flowers, said Liang Guojian, the village’s first secretary in charge of poverty alleviation work, adding that the industry helped increase the villagers’ average income by about 5,000 yuan in 2020.

Thanks to the jasmine industry, Yang Dehe, a resident of Tanbai village, saw his annual income exceed 100,000 yuan. “My living standards have been improved,” Yang said excitedly, adding that it has allowed him to renovate his house and buy a car.

Over 300,000 growers have planted more than 120,000 mu (8,000 hectares) of jasmine flowers in Hengzhou.