Macadamia grows farmers' incomes

De'ang ethnic group have overcome impoverished lives by their own initiatives and government support programs

Editor's Note: As the People's Republic of China prepares to celebrate its 70th anniversary on Oct 1, China Daily is featuring a series of stories on the role regions have played in the country's development and where they are today.

Australia is far away, but the word "Australian" is often on the lips of villagers at Santaishan township, home to a large population of the De'ang ethnic group.

The macadamia nut, called the "Australian nut" by villagers in recognition of where it originated, is widely planted in Santaishan. Growing the nut is one of many ways that local residents have been lifted out of poverty in recent years.

Located in southwestern Yunnan province, close to the Myanmar border, the township is surrounded by mountains and shrouded by clouds and mist almost every morning.

Around 60 percent of its 7,593 people belong to the De'ang ethnic group, accounting for one-fifth of all De'ang people living in China.

A total of 2,481.4 hectares of macadamias are planted near the township, producing 833.2 metric tons of the nuts, selling for 10 yuan ($1.44) to 12 yuan per kilogram, according to the local government.

It has become one of the farmers' main sources of income along with sugar cane, tea, passion fruit and livestock.

The idea of growing macadamias in the province germinated in the 1990s in the village of Mengzhi after one local man read a magazine article about the environment needed to grow them, and the high prices the nuts fetched.

Today more than 174,667 hectares are under cultivation in Yunnan, and revenue from the nuts is benefiting those ethnic groups living in remote areas, such as the De'ang.

The De'ang and two other ethnic groups, the Derung and Jino, were in April declared to have come out of serious poverty.