Aerial photo of the pitaya planting base in Yandong town, Bama Yao autonomous county, Hechi. [Photo by Ban Huaxi/gxnews.com.cn]

The pitaya (dragon fruit) planting base in Yandong town, Bama Yao autonomous county, Hechi has made great contributions to local poverty alleviation.

The base started planting dragon fruit in 2016, and began to produce fruit in May 2018. The current planting area is 3,100 mu (206.67 hectares). After the base is fully put into production, the annual output of fruit can reach 9 million kilograms, with an output value of more than 50 million yuan ($7.15 million).

The base is organized and operated using the industrialization development model of "company + base + peasant households." At present, the collective economy of the eight poor villages around the base has been promoted, and 150 poor households have been lifted out of poverty and increased their incomes.

"Our dragon fruit has been exported all over the country," said Huang Peisong, the person in charge of the base. "We have received many orders and the product is in short supply. This year, it is estimated that there will be 750,000 kilograms of fruit and it is expected to have a total income of more than 4.5 million yuan."

From the beginning of planting, soil cultivation, and fertilization to the final fruit picking, the base has attracted a large number of poor villagers looking for jobs. In the future, the base will also provide free planting technology to lead poor local households to participate in the planting of dragon fruit.