At the Camellia Oil Planting Base of Yonghao Planting and Breeding Professional Cooperative in Xinhua Village, Jiangshui Township, Yizhang County, the camellia trees are covered with camellia seeds and pure white camellia flowers. 

 

 

More than 60 villagers were busy picking camellia seeds in the camellia forest.

 

Jiangshui Township is the main production area for camellia oil in Yizhang County. To better retain workers, apart from generous wages, the base also offers labor benefits such as shuttle bus services. 

 

Most of villagers working here are idle labors from the surrounding areas. After the barren mountains were planted with camellia trees in 2009, more than 1,600 mu (about 106.67 hectares) of camellia trees in the base are bearing fruits. The development of this industry has enabled many villagers to get jobs and income at their doorstep. 

 

 

Huang Yong, head of the cooperative, introduced that every year, during the period of camellia oil cultivation, management, picking and seed selection, the base attracts surrounding villagers to work here. And the annual labor cost of the base reaches about 500,000 yuan. 

 

In recent years, Yizhang County has integrated policies and financial support from relevant departments, established an industrial development association, and cooperated with scientific research institutions like Hunan Academy of Forestry and Central South University of Forestry and Technology for camellia oil variety selection, seedling breeding and others to extend the industrial chain, introduce camellia oil processing plants to increase product added value.

 

Now, the county has an area of 106,000 mu (about 7,067 hectares) of camellia trees. It’s expected that this year, the camellia oil production will exceed 600 tons, with an output value of over 90 million yuan. 

 

The golden camellia seed has become the “golden fruit” for farmers to increase income and become rich.