Village in N China’s Shanxi embraces prosperity through marigold industry (3)

Villagers pick marigold flowers in a field in Lugou village, Huairen city, north China’s Shanxi province. (Photo/People's Daily Online)

Lugou village, Huairen city in north China’s Shanxi province has been enjoying the benefits of a thriving marigold industry, as the brightly colored flowers not only bring great economic benefits as a Chinese medicinal herb, but also attract many curious visitors.

Under the guidance of the Huairen Municipal Government and the Communist Party of China Huairen Municipal Committee, the village has continued in recent years to cultivate marigold flowers and develop a marigold-related tourism industry. It has also been striving to upgrade the marigold industry by improving planting technologies and enhancing the added value of the flowers so as to promote sustainable development.

This year, the village planted 1,000 mu (about 66.67 hectares) of marigold according to the number of orders it had received for its planting base, with a yield per mu (667 square meters) of 3 tons. Local growers are expected to earn 5,000 yuan (about $781.5) from every mu of the planted flower.

The marigold industry enables villagers to secure jobs and incomes close to their homes. “I came to pick marigold flowers at the planting base right after I finish the work in my farm field, and I earn 100 yuan per day,” villager Cao Yun said joyfully while picking the flowers.

Meanwhile, the marigold flowers have also turned Lugou village into a popular tourist destination. Lugou has developed into a national key village for rural tourism, according to Wang Zhongyi, manager of the Lugou scenic spot.