Keep an eye out for them – Yangbi walnuts which are being promoted by China as one of the sweetest-tasting nuts in the world.
They have done another job too – lifting more than 70 per cent of people in Yangbi (a county of about 100,000 people in the Yunnan province) above the poverty line.
Yangbi walnuts are famous for their large fruit, thin shell, white kernel, and sweet taste and Yangbi has successfully registered the Yangbi Walnut geographical indication trademark – and has also been officially named "town of the Chinese walnut".
September – and the month-long Yangbi Walnut Festival of Dali – is known across China as walnut harvesting month. On the morning of September 1, people from Yangbi county gathered in ceremonial dress in Renhe Square, to celebrate the opening of the festival.
According to Yang Yu, secretary of the CPC Yangbi County Committee, walnut production in Yangbi county has now reached nearly 50,000 tonnes from 71,000 hectares and an overall value of about $222 million.
![Yang Yu, secretary of the CPC Yangbi County Committe, address the ceremony. (Xue Dan/People's Daily Online)](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/AOVQYP47Z6ORPXE2T6EHC3GWH4.jpg?auth=cc242630e860951fb8c3a94402e3221fabcd56d925f380336e10eab4a54ee01d&width=16&height=11&quality=70&smart=true)
The social benefits have seen the walnut industry raise over 70 per cent of the people in Yangbi above the poverty line – and walnuts have become the largest green health industry in the area with the most extensive coverage.
Yang said: "We will work on the building of an influential walnut production and sales base, to turn the walnut industry into a pillar industry for the county and people. We will spare no efforts turning the Yangbi walnut into a famous brand on a provincial, national and global level.
"We will make Yangbi a healthy living destination, accelerating the process of rural revitalisation and boost poverty reduction efforts, thus giving Yangbi people a happier life together."
Yangbi is located in the middle of Dali Prefecture, Yunnan province. It enjoys a perfect growing environment for walnuts, positioned on the western border of Cang Mountain with a moderate climate, strong soil water retention ability and abundant sunshine.
The Yangbi Walnut Festival will last for a month. During the festival, a series of activities will take place, such as local product exhibitions and tastings, the financing and media platform launching ceremony, a listing ceremony for the Walnut Product Quality Test Centre, a walnut appreciation ceremony and picking ceremony.
Content sourced from the People's Daily Online here