In Fengjie County, Chongqing, nearly 400,000 acres of navel oranges are now being harvested. This year's crop not only boasts excellent quality but is also being transported via ships and planes, reaching domestic and global markets more efficiently.
Located in the heart of the Three Gorges Reservoir area, Fengjie County is home to sprawling orchards laden with golden fruit—the renowned Fengjie navel oranges, a representative variety of Three Gorges citrus. The exceptional quality of these oranges stems from the region's unique geographical conditions. The Three Gorges Dam has created a vast reservoir, ensuring minimal winter frost damage. As a result, the fruit can remain on trees for up to eight months, allowing fresh harvests from winter until early summer.
This year's navel oranges are particularly impressive—crisp, tender, and bursting with juice. With a solid-to-acid ratio of 20:1, they offer a perfectly balanced sweet-tart flavor.
High-quality Fengjie navel oranges also benefit from advanced green cultivation techniques. For instance, purple-flowered vetch, planted intentionally, helps retain moisture, enrich soil, and suppress weeds. Solar-powered insecticidal lamps further reduce pest damage, significantly cutting pesticide use and ensuring near-zero residue. Thanks to these methods, premium-grade fruit now accounts for 85% of the yield.
Efficient logistics play a crucial role in delivering fresh oranges to consumers. While hillside orchards rely on monorail carts for transport, Fengjie has introduced over 200 drones this season. Each drone can carry 40,000 pounds of oranges daily, boosting efficiency by 50% and cutting costs by a third compared to manual labor.
After harvest, the oranges are sent to the Three Gorges Navel Orange Trading Center, where automated washing and smart sorting categorize them by sugar content, size, and appearance before packaging. A newly launched "Light Boat" shipping route allows trucks loaded with oranges to board vessels directly, reducing handling costs by 20%. With multimodal transport covering land, water, and air, Fengjie oranges now reach consumers nationwide within 72 hours.
Beyond domestic markets, Fengjie navel oranges are exported to nearly 20 countries and regions. This season alone, orders totaling 18,000 tons have been secured with Singapore and Kazakhstan.
Additionally, the local industry has expanded into value-added products like orange wine and preserves, alongside agritourism and pick-your-own experiences. Two villages have achieved annual revenues exceeding 100 million yuan, proving that these small oranges are indeed a "golden fruit" for rural revitalization.
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