Homestay business in apple orchards brings wealth to village in SW China’s Sichuan

Boasting high-quality apples, Mulan village in southwest China's Sichuan province is embracing prosperity, thanks to the village’s efforts in developing homestay businesses in its apple orchards with assistance from Xinjin district of Chengdu city, capital of the province.

Photo shows an apple-shaped homestay in an apple orchard in Mulan village, Xiaojin county, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Sichuan province. (Photo/news.chengdu.cn)

Home to 25 homestays, the village in Xiaojin county, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture has garnered sales revenues of over 240,000 yuan (about $37,116) from its homestay business and 6.49 million yuan in sales revenues from selling apples since the homestay program was put into operation in October 2019. The program has also driven villagers to run stores and restaurants and sell local specialties, which has brought a turnover of more than 1.11 million yuan. It has resulted in an incremental increase in per capita income in the village of 2,311.54 yuan.

The booming business is a vivid example of China’s pairing-up support mechanism. Xinjin district has invested a total of 11.88 million yuan into the program in Mulan village to support it in developing tourism and homestay businesses, with the land transferred from villagers and with the exploration of online sales channels for over 10 different kinds of quality apples and other agricultural products.