In Cangxi county, Guangyuan, the pear sector has grown into a cornerstone of rural progress, with its 165,000-mu (11,000-hectare) orchards turning "millennium-old pears" into a driver of farmers' income.

Li Zaifan, a farmer from Qingyan village, is a typical beneficiary. On the morning of Sept 23, after an autumn rain, he inspected pear bags and recorded the growth data of ancient trees – part of a Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences project to improve pear care.

This year, his 0.47-hectare orchard produced 15 metric tons of fruit, earning him an 80,000-yuan ($11,100) net income.

Across Cangxi, over 85,000 households rely on the pear industry for their livelihood. Beyond fresh pear production (125,000 metric tons yearly), the sector includes processing, tourism and festivals.

The annual Pear Blossom Festival in March and Pear Picking Festival in September draw many visitors, boosting nearby farm stays and specialty stores and pushing the industry's total output past 2.8 billion yuan.

Ancient pear trees' fruits in Cangxi Pear Expo Park is adopted. [Photo provided to cngy.gov.cn]

To revitalize its 1,200-year-old pear tradition, Cangxi has innovated with models like "ancient pear tree adoption". A 145-year-old "pear king" was adopted by a Chongqing tourist this year for 2,500 yuan, who receives proceeds in the form of fruit and videos of the pears growing.

Technology further strengthens the sector. The county uses standardized cultivation model, while a local research institute has bred seven new pear varieties. Cangxi also offers policy-based agricultural insurance to protect farmers from risks.

Looking ahead, the county plans a 4,333-hectare standardized pear belt and will upgrade 533 hectares of low-yield orchards by 2025.

With strict brand protection via regulations and market inspections, Cangxi's pears will keep boosting rural prosperity.