'Avocado town' ripens prospects for tourism, agricultural success

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Menglian is also innovating on the sales front.

Diverse channels such as e-commerce, supermarkets, and wholesalers are being leveraged to ensure their avocados reach major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou and Shenzhen in Guangdong province within 72 hours of being picked.

In 2021, Menglian avocados debuted in 18 Freshippo stores, Alibaba's fresh-food chain. In November 2022, the first avocado "Freshippo village" was inaugurated in Mangxin, making it the only such village in China despite its remote location. The partnership with Freshippo helps Menglian benefit from, and build upon, a nationwide supply chain for ripe domestic avocados.

Menglian's avocado-related tourism is also gaining attention. Last October, the town hosted its first Avocado Festival with 119,300 tourist visits during the weeklong National Day holiday, generating income of 106.88 million yuan, according to official data.

Two avocado orchards that integrate agriculture with tourism, leisure, and wellness experiences have been established. Plans are also underway to develop an avocado-themed town in Mangxin. On Oct 2, Menglian will once again host the Avocado Culture Festival.

The booming avocado industry has attracted young people back to Menglian, offering employment opportunities that rival those in urban areas.

Party Secretary Yang said the avocado industry provided over 10,000 job opportunities for the local community last year, particularly during the four- to five-month long harvest season, with daily wages ranging from 100 to 120 yuan.

Currently, 3,000 households in Mangxin cultivate avocados on 30,000 mu of land, increasing the average household income by more than 6,000 yuan.

The county aims to plant 100,000 mu of avocados, boost cultivation, and produce 100,000 tons of fresh avocados annually, with 40,000 tons for processing. It is working on building an advanced processing park for high-end products like avocado oil and puree, extending the industry chain and adding value.

Apart from economic gains, avocado plantations also bring ecological benefits.

Farmer Zha Ke has noticed environmental improvements that avocado cultivation has also brought.

"We used to grow sugar cane and had to burn the leftover stalks, which made the air really unpleasant, especially in the hot months from April to June. Since switching to avocados, there's been much less burning, and the air quality has improved," he said.