Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
URUMQI, May 29 (Xinhua) — The off-season cherry harvest in Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has been in high demand among consumers in May, with the price of cherries exceeding $20 per kilogram.
A county that is administratively subordinate to Kashgar Prefecture and is located at an average altitude of over 4,000 meters above sea level.
Here at one agricultural project, an intelligent temperature control system in the greenhouses creates a unique microclimate that contrasts sharply with the windswept desert. In the greenhouses, the branches of the cherry trees are thickly covered with emerald foliage.
As it turned out, the project used innovative “underground greenhouse” technology, which made it possible to grow high-quality cherries in high-mountain desert conditions with an average annual temperature of about 3 degrees Celsius.
The first cherry trees transplanted here from the Tarim Basin in 2023 have yielded a harvest comparable to lowland regions this year. The unique advantages of the Pamir Highlands – long hours of sunlight and sharp daily temperature fluctuations – have provided the berries with increased sugar content and bright color.
Tashkurgan-Tajik Autonomous County, with its harsh climate and ecological fragility, was previously entirely dependent on supplies of vegetables and fruits from other regions. Now local residents have access to fresh produce, and the local economy has received a boost.
In recent years, the county has been actively developing projects for intelligent greenhouse complexes. The annual production volume of off-season cherries exceeds 3 tons, and in the future, it is expected to increase to 10 tons.
The former desert land is transformed into an “oasis” where science and technology become the driving force of change. -0-