Latest news with #Zhaotong
The Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Yunnan sprouting into China's ‘vegetable basket'
Long known for its breathtaking landscapes and ethnic diversity, Southwest China's Yunnan province is emerging as a national leader in speciality agriculture, transforming its once-impoverished rural regions into engines of economic renewal. From sweet apples in Zhaotong to traditional cured meats in Xuanwei and leafy vegetables in Luliang, the highlands are cultivating not only crops, but also opportunities for the 88 counties in the province that have been lifted out of poverty. Perched on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and located in the heartland of the Wumeng Mountains in the northeast of the province, Zhaotong was once a city with the largest impoverished population in China. Now, it is Southwest China's largest producer of apples thanks to its low latitude, high elevation, generous sunshine and dramatic daily temperature swings. These ideal growing conditions have made Zhaotong's apples sweet, crisp and nationally recognised. With nearly 165,000 acres under cultivation, Zhaotong harvested 1.3 million metric tonnes of apples last year, generating a revenue of 15 billion yuan (£1.55 billion). The apple industry has directly benefitted 138,000 households, touching the lives of over half a million residents, according to local officials. In April of last year, apples from Zhaotong made headlines when they were included in the fresh food supply aboard the Shenzhou XVIII spacecraft. A major individual orchard in Zhaotong's Zhaoyang district covers 16,500 acres with 118 apple varieties, one of the largest of its kind. Yang Longjiang, director of the district's industry development centre, said advanced agricultural techniques learned from New Zealand and elsewhere are yielding world-class results. 'The orchard applies dwarf rootstocks that yield fruit faster and uses an integrated drip irrigation system that can precisely deliver water and fertiliser, conserving precious resources,' Yang said. 'Combined with monthly wages from working at the base, we can earn 80,000 yuan (£8,290) a year and live a better life,' said Ding Kaiwen, a former tobacco farmer who works in the orchards with his wife. Their family also receives an annual land lease payment of 14,400 yuan (£1,490). Xuanwei ham, a dry-cured speciality with a legacy dating back centuries, is another Yunnan food speciality that has found its place on the dinner tables of Chinese consumers. It sits alongside Italy's Parma ham and Spain's Iberico ham. In 2023, the pig farming and ham industry in Xuanwei generated over 18.5 billion yuan (£1.92 billion), producing nearly 70,000 tonnes of ham and lifting thousands of households out of poverty. Inspired by European models, Lap-Jon Ham invested 360 million yuan (£37.3 million) into advanced facilities, importing Italian fermentation systems and automating the aging process to allow year-round production. A modern factory capable of producing 3,200 tonnes of premium ham annually has been built, alongside salami and ham-filled pastries. Last year, the company reported an output value of 478 million yuan (£49.5 million) and created over 600 local jobs. The agricultural reinvention of Yunnan extends to the vast, fertile plains of Luliang county in Qujing, the largest flatland on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. The unique geography and climate of the county in the east of the province have made it an agricultural powerhouse, and the thriving vegetable industry is feeding cities across China and reaching tables as far away as Dubai. The region has an average annual temperature of 15.2 C, a frost-free period of 335 days, fertile soil and abundant water resources, making year-round production of vegetables possible. 'Thanks to these favourable natural conditions, we can grow a wide variety of fresh, eco-friendly vegetables all year round,' said Zhang Raofang, deputy director of Luliang's agriculture and rural affairs bureau. Italian lettuce, romaine, napa cabbage and Shanghai bok choy are among the stars of the leafy industry. About 93 per cent of its harvest is shipped to markets from Beijing to Dubai, Zhang said. The vegetable industry employs 210,000 people in Luliang, from planting and processing to packaging and transport, boosting average household incomes by over 28,000 yuan (£2,910) a year, Zhang said.
The Guardian
11-07-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
How extreme rainfall in New Mexico is linked to wildfires
After the extreme rainfall in Texas on 4 July, the flash flooding risk moved to New Mexico, with 89mm (3.5in) of rain falling in the Rio Ruidoso catchment area on Tuesday. In the town of Ruidoso, 35 homes were swept away and three people died. The National Weather Service attributed the extreme event to the wildfires that devastated the same area in 2024. Burn scars caused by wildfires remove vegetation that helps to stop rainwater from flowing above ground into rivers, increasing the risk of a flash flood. More rain is expected in New Mexico and Texas at the weekend. In Taiwan, Typhoon Danas made landfall on Monday as a category 2 storm, killing two people and injuring 700, before moving back over water to the north of the country. In Mudan, 457mm of rain fell, causing dykes to overflow and landslides. Despite weakening over Taiwan, Danas took a slow west turn towards China's east coast where it made landfall on Wednesday, bringing prolonged heavy rainfall. In the city of Zhaotong, 7,000 people were evacuated as 230mm of rain fell in 24 hours. The rain came after an intense heatwave that has been affecting central and eastern China in the past few weeks. Severe storms struck eastern Europe on Monday, disrupting transport in Hungary and Serbia. Budapest airport was closed temporarily because of flooding at one of the terminal buildings and to clear debris that had blown on to the runways. The closure caused a number of flight diversions to neighbouring airports. Wind speeds up to 100mph brought down overhead lines on the railways in Hungary, cancelling many services. Southern and eastern Europe have been on high alert for severe storms this summer and into autumn owing to a record-breaking marine heatwave in the Mediterranean. Sea surface temperatures, particularly in the western Mediterranean, have been up to 5C above average for the time of year, providing extra fuel for convective weather. Such extreme sea temperatures have been caused by hot and calm weather over southern Europe, as well as the continuing effects of climate breakdown.
The Guardian
11-07-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
How extreme rainfall in New Mexico is linked to wildfires
After the extreme rainfall Texas experienced on 4 July, the flash flooding risk moved to New Mexico, with 89mm (3.5in) of rain falling in the Rio Ruidoso catchment area on Tuesday. In the town of Ruidoso, 35 homes were swept away and three people died. The National Weather Service attributed the extreme event to the wildfires that devastated the same area in 2024. Burn scars caused by wildfires remove vegetation that helps to stop rainwater from flowing above ground into rivers, increasing the risk of a flash flood. Further rains are expected in New Mexico and Texas at the weekend. In Taiwan, Typhoon Danas made landfall on Monday as a category 2 storm, killing two people and injuring 700, before moving back over water to the north of the country. In Mudan, 457mm of rain fell, causing landslides and dykes to overflow. Despite weakening over Taiwan, Danas took a slow west turn towards China's east coast where it made landfall on Wednesday, bringing prolonged heavy rainfall. In the city of Zhaotong, 7,000 people were evacuated as 230mm of rain fell in 24 hours. The rain came after an intense heatwave that has been affecting central and eastern China in the past few weeks. Severe storms struck eastern Europe on Monday, disrupting transport in Hungary and Serbia. Budapest airport was closed temporarily because of flooding at one of the terminal buildings and to clear debris blown on to the runways by strong winds. The closure caused multiple flight diversions to neighbouring airports. Wind speeds up to 100mph brought down overhead lines on the railways in Hungary, cancelling many services. Southern and eastern Europe have been on high alert for severe storms this summer and into autumn owing to a record-breaking marine heatwave in the Mediterranean. Sea surface temperatures, particularly in the western Mediterranean, have been up to 5C above average for the time of year, providing extra fuel for convective weather. Such extreme sea temperatures have been caused by hot and calm weather over southern Europe, as well as the continuing effects of climate breakdown.
