Pudong, Dali cooperate in poverty alleviation

Pudong New Area in Shanghai has helped Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in Southwest China's Yunnan province lift 11 of its counties out of poverty, local media reported.

Pudong has provided financial support, dispatched government officers, introduced projects, and established new working mechanisms to help upgrade the local industrial structure and increase incomes for villagers.

Lime trees now cover an area of more than 400 hectares on the banks of the Heihui River in Weishan county.

"It is a species from Taiwan that can be harvested year-round and has high economic value," said Jin Jun, an officer from Pudong, who introduced the tree to the county in May 2019.

According to Chu Fengxin, operator of the plantation, the tree's lime can not only be sold as fresh fruit, but can also be used to produce dried lime slices, essential oil, and pectin. The entire industrial chain is valued at more than 1 billion yuan ($144.9 million).

With the help of Pudong, other counties in Dali have also developed their own industrial brands, including tea in Nanjian, pigs in Midu, and fruits in Binchuan.

Since 2016, Pudong has spent 1.2 billion yuan on 366 poverty alleviation projects in Yunnan.