In the depths of an orange grove, farmers carefully arrange the freshly picked oranges on a flat surface. Above them, a drone swoops in, transporting the oranges to the packaging area. “This is the first time we’re using a drone for transporting oranges, and it saves so much effort!” exclaimed Yang Pengjun, the Party Secretary and Director of the Xu Ping Horticultural Farm in Zhouhuxi Village, Shimen County, Hunan Province.

Yang noted that previously, moving the oranges from the grove relied heavily on manual labor, which was not only inefficient but also costly. This year, thanks to support from a partnering company, they’ve introduced a drone that can replace the work of three or four laborers.

Shimen County, renowned as the “Hometown of Chinese Citrus” and the “Top County for Early Maturing Honey Oranges,” boasts unique geographical and climatic conditions that contribute to the vibrant color and sweet-tart flavor of its oranges. Currently, the county has a citrus plantation area of 450,000 acres, developing into a distinctive industry that touches the lives of many.

Zhouhuxi Village, located in the southern part of Shimen County, was once a struggling community with a lack of financial resources. In 2022, to help uplift the village, Gezhouba Yipuli Hunan Second Chemical Explosive Co., Ltd. leased 200 acres of land to develop a standardized orange grove, planting 100 acres of early-maturing honey orange saplings that same year.

“Last September, the trees were laden with golden fruit, yielding 300,000 pounds of oranges that sold for over 500,000 yuan, with more than 300,000 yuan coming from picking alone,” Yang shared. The partner company provided fertilizers, agricultural technology services, and land leasing fees, while the village committee managed the field operations and sales, with all profits being returned to the community. The revenue generated from the standardized orchard has propelled Zhouhuxi Village into a leading position.

“Despite this year’s high temperatures and drought impacts on orange growth, we are seeing prices per pound that are more than 40 cents higher than last year. New technologies have lowered our picking costs, and new business models have opened up sales channels, making this another fruitful year,” Yang explained, anticipating a yield of around 200,000 pounds this year. Although that’s a slight decrease from last year’s yield, the overall income remains on par.

With the infusion of new technologies such as drone transportation and live streaming sales, Zhouhuxi Village’s oranges have reached a broader market this year. Oranges ordered through live streaming are being shipped from the village’s groves to places like Guangdong, Guangxi, and Sichuan, contributing to the revitalization of the local economy.

On October 22, a live-streaming event organized by a central enterprise took place, where employees became “hosts,” promoting Shimen oranges. In just four hours, they sold 70,000 pounds of citrus.

Gezhouba Yipuli Hunan Second Chemical Explosive Co., Ltd., which has invested over 50 years in Shimen, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Energy Construction Yipuli Company. Liu Xiaojun, the company’s Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Discipline Inspection Secretary, detailed their ongoing commitment to agricultural product promotions, collective consumption aid, donations, infrastructure improvements, and educational support, having invested over 15 million yuan in the county’s rural revitalization efforts over the past three years.