From 'orange capital' to 'vegetable capital'

[SHADOW LI / CHINA DAILY]

"This is particularly important when the COVID-19 pandemic struck early last year. Setting up the quality center's Xinfeng branch has provided stable income for many people who were stuck at home and couldn't return to factories in the cities to work," he said.

For Daxing, the facility has not only brought extra income for local farmers, but has also attracted migrant workers to return home to make a living. Among them was Lai Gangsheng, 48, who had spent decades working in Guangdong. He quit his job at a furniture factory, returned home and rented about 6,600 square meters of farmland to grow chile peppers, an indispensable ingredient in local cuisine.

The local government's favorable policies to support the industry played a big role in Lai's decision to try his luck in the vegetable farming business. His 70-year-old mother, who lives alone in the village and requires care, was also a reason for him to come back. Besides, he knew he will be too old to work in a factory in a few years.