Tibetannet

Fresh goji berries are being dried.[Photo/Chinanews.com]

According to the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Bureau of Haixi Prefecture in northwest China's Qinghai Province, the output value of goji berry has jumped from 33 million yuan (5 million US dollars) in 2008 to 2.16 billion yuan (0.33 billion US dollars) in 2017, a 65-fold increase.

Haixi Prefecture of Qinghai Province is located in the hinterland of the Qaidam Basin, one of the “Four Super Pure Zones” in the world, and it is China's second largest goji berry growing site.

According to the Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Bureau of Haixi Prefecture , the prefecture grows organic goji berries on more than 100 thousand mu (6,700 hectares) land, and is China's largest growing site for organic goji berries. This region's export quota for organic goji berries, as recognized by the European Union, also ranks first in China.

Fresh goji berries in Qaidam Basin. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Currently, there're 484 thousand mu (32.3 thousand hectares) of goji berries grown in Haixi Prefecture, which is 3.09 times of the scale in 2010. The total output of dried fruit has reached 78.2 thousand tons, at a value of 2.16 billion yuan (0.33 billion US dollars), producing significant economic value. Goji berry cultivation has become a major source for the farmers and nomads of Haixi to boost their income.

Goji berries during harvest season could produce an income of 3,000 to 6,000 yuan (452.21 to 904.42 US dollars) per mu (0.067 hectare). The total farming and husbandry output value has jumped from 3.2% in 2008 to 46.7% in 2017, increasing by 14.6 times, or 43.5%, among which the planting industry's total output value has also increased from 32% to 46.7% with the strong impetus from the goji berry industry.