Village in E China's Anhui finds way to prosperity by breeding golden carp

Golden carp is always associated with auspiciousness, happiness and good luck in Chinese culture. A golden carp cultural industrial park in Guowang village, Xiangshan district, Huaibei city, east China's Anhui Province has breathed new life into rural revitalization by developing a new model of culture-themed tourism that incorporates agricultural production, rural lifestyle and a rural ecological environment.

Golden carp swim inside a fish pond in a golden carp cultural industrial park in Guowang village, Xiangshan district, Huaibei city, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Xiaofei)

The cultural industrial park is filled with flowers, water, a traditional Anhui-style B&B hotel, an artificial hill, a waterfall, and a 6,000-square-meter high-standard modern breeding greenhouse inside which 100 fishponds have been put into operation for the cultivation of nearly 70 species of golden carp.

With a total investment of about 50 million yuan ($7.27 million), the industrial park covers an area of 64 mu (4.27 hectares), said Liu Wanchun, head of the industrial park.

"The most expensive golden carp is sold for around 500,000 yuan, and an average one is sold at between 200 and 300 yuan," said Liu.

Photo shows a golden carp cultural industrial park in Guowang village, Xiangshan district, Huaibei city, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Xiaofei)

"The golden carp of the highest quality are sold to corporate clients in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, as well as to golden carp lovers, and those of above-average quality are exported to countries and regions like South Korea and Southeast Asia," said Liu. He added that after the industrial park officially starts operations in May 2023, it is expected to cultivate hundreds of thousands of golden carp fingerlings a year and achieve an annual output value of more than 10 million yuan.

More than 30 local villagers have found jobs inside the industrial park, each being able to earn over 3,000 yuan a month, said Xu Jing, Party chief of Guowang village.

Liu Wanchun touches a golden carp inside a breeding greenhouse in a golden carp cultural industrial park in Guowang village, Xiangshan district, Huaibei city, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Xiaofei)

Golden carp swim inside a fish pond in a golden carp cultural industrial park in Guowang village, Xiangshan district, Huaibei city, east China's Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Wang Xiaofei)