Strawberries bring sweet life to villagers in SW China's Xizang

Phurjung, a villager in Nyemo county, Lhasa city, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, had never seen or eaten strawberries before.

"Now I'm busy picking strawberries and delivering them all day long. I never thought small strawberries could make my life busier and better," Phurjung said.

With capital and technologies from Beijing under a pairing assistance program, about 6,000 fruit trees were planted in 16 greenhouses at a modern agricultural industrial park in the county in 2019.

Phurjung (left) sends strawberries to a shop in Nyemo county, Lhasa city, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. (People's Daily/Qiongda Drolkar)

Sun Jinying, director of Nyemo county's bureau of agriculture and rural affairs, said back then, the county adopted an operation model integrating Party organizations, leading enterprises, cooperatives, and former impoverished households, with farmers being responsible for the production and daily management, and a local company being in charge of sales.

Phurjung contracted a vegetable greenhouse. Vegetables produced in the greenhouse could be harvested three times a year, which excited him.

In 2019, Phurjung earned over 20,000 yuan ($2,760) from the greenhouse. Two years later, he contracted one more greenhouse.

In August 2023, Longwantun township in Beijing donated 9,000 strawberry seedlings and 2,000 cherry seedlings to the modern agricultural industrial park, which gave Phurjung an opportunity to grow strawberries.

The county has established a mechanism to promote the development of the fruit and vegetable planting industries, and has sent officials to guide farmers.

Phurjung harvests a cauliflower at a vegetable greenhouse in Nyemo county, Lhasa city, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. (People's Daily/Qiongda Drolkar)

"Phurjung could skillfully grow various kinds of vegetables. Although strawberries were new to him, he took it seriously and proactively learned from us," said Choskyi, an official.

"With favorable support policies, we have to work harder. I now feel energized," Phurjung said, adding that he earns over 10,000 yuan from strawberry planting a month. Since he started to grow strawberries, his family's income has doubled.

"I really enjoy my current state of life - growing highland barley in spring, and vegetables and strawberries year-round. Life is getting better," Phurjung noted.

Phurjung feeds his grandson a strawberry at a greenhouse in Nyemo county, Lhasa city, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. (People's Daily/Qiongda  Drolkar)

In 2023, the modern agricultural industrial park's income reached 3.4 million yuan, bringing to each of the 81 people working there an average annual income increase of more than 35,000 yuan.