[Well-off China] Dunhuang desert sandy soil nurtures sweet and crisp "purple rouge": the planting area has increased by more than 60 times

　　[Explanation] Purple Carmine is grown in Dunhuang in the Gobi Desert. The purple peach contains green and has a carmine color. It tastes sweet and fragrant. It is praised by tourists as the "Gobi Queen of Peach".

　　In the mature season, the reporter visited its planting "base camp"-Qili Town, Dunhuang City.

Entering the Taoyuan in Dujiadun Village of the town, there are densely packed peach trees on both sides of the road, bearing dense fruits and bending branches.

　　The Xinwen Peach Farmer with more than 30 years of planting experience told reporters that the purple carmine that grows around the desert is rich in sweet juice and has good nutrients.

Good sandy soil and sufficient light are the key factors for the sweet and sour taste of purple carmine.

In the beginning, the villagers planted crops such as wheat and cotton, and received little income throughout the year.

Later, the government took the lead in adjusting the structure of the agricultural industry and planting fruits. He became a "pathfinder" for the purple peach industry in the village.

　　[Contemporary] New Articles on the Year of Peach Farm

　　(Purple Carmine) is particularly rich in sugar, that is, it is moderately sweet and sour. It requires water and is relatively drought resistant. It is watered once every forty days to meet the growth needs of crops.

Peach trees are mainly labor-saving, and it saves labor in this aspect. The economic benefits are better than grapes, and they are two to three times higher than cotton and corn.

　　[Explanation] With the support of the local government, Nian Xinwen established a cooperative to attract poor households and teach farmers the experience of scientifically growing peaches.

　　Due to the large temperature difference between day and night, the forest and fruits produced in Dunhuang are fragrant and sweet, and are known as the "Hometown of Melons and Fruits".

Surrounded by the Gobi Desert, Dunhuang is also the best area for the production of high-quality and safe fruits. At present, the grape, plum, apricot, and red dates industries are "flowering more".

At the same time, an "open garden system" is set up to ensure the quality and taste of the fruit.

　　[Concurrent] Li Ruijun, Mayor of Qili Town, Dunhuang City, Gansu

　　The development of the Dunhuang peach industry should have started in the Qing Dynasty. At the beginning, the planting was less than 100 acres, and it has grown to more than 6000 acres now.

Focusing on increasing the income of farmers, we established the Dunhuang Purple Carmine Industry Association to organize farmers to standardize planting, including sales, with the focus on sales and unity.

　　[Explanation] Dunhuang is located at the intersection of Gansu, Qinghai, and Xinjiang. There are many deserts and Gobi in the territory, and the oasis area only accounts for 4.5% of the total land area.

Dujiadun Village is a microcosm of the development of Ziyantao industry in Qili Town.

The mayor Li Ruijun said that the development of the fruit industry in the town has the advantages of a good location and good quality. In particular, the purple carmine peach was certified as an improved forest tree species in Gansu Province in 2012.

As of the end of 2019, Dunhuang's characteristic forest and fruit planting area totaled more than 100,000 mu.

　　Gao Ying, Feng Zhijun, Yan Jiao reports from Dunhuang, Gansu

Editor in charge: [Lu Yan]