Grape industry contributes to rural vitalization in Xifeng

The Hongyan grape-planting park in Xifeng county. [Photo/WeChat account of Xifeng county]

In recent years, Hongyan village in Xifeng county, Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, has reaped benefits from grape planting. 

In April 2014, Hongyan grapes were awarded the title of National Geographical Indication Protection Product due to their high quality.

The village is home to the Hongyan grape planting park, a provincial-level agricultural demonstration park where 240 farmer households have planted grapes and which is poised to bear 3,000 mu (200 hectares) of grapes this year.

To expand the local grape industry and promote Hongyan grapes, the collective economic cooperatives of Hongyan village and Dazhai village jointly invested and established Wanyi Agriculture Co, which is expected to provide fruit farmers with guidance services related to growing and selling grapes.

In addition to planting grapes, efforts also have been made to integrate the grape industry into rural tourism by improving local infrastructure. As of 2022, 34 idle farmhouses were utilized for the development of homestays and agritainment.

The grapes will ripen and hit the market in early August. By then, Xifeng plans to hold the 14th Hongyan Grape Festival, with an array of activities including an opening and a closing ceremony, a campfire party and a country music festival.